When sleep isn’t enough, and drive-through mishaps become your wake-up call.
I did something wild the other day. I went through the Zambero’s drive-through, paid for my food… and drove off.
No, I didn’t get distracted by a phone call.
No, I wasn’t in some deep philosophical monologue with myself.
I just… forgot.
And that moment, as hilarious as it was, told me everything I needed to know.
I was running on fumes.
When Deep Work Becomes Deep Exhaustion
This year has been a beautiful stretch. The kind of growth that feels good, but also quietly depletes your reserves.
At work, I was swimming in deep work – the kind Cal Newport talks about. Strategic thinking, document reviews and creations, consultation with stakeholders… in summary brain-heavy stuff. Then I’d get home and swap hats: parenting, homework assistance, dinner, etc.
I wasn’t slacking on rest either. I slept early (sometimes at 7:30pm!) and woke up early to connect with God around 3am. It felt like a rhythm that worked.
But here’s what didn’t happen:
I didn’t stop.
After one major work project, I just rolled into the next. I didn’t take a breather. I told myself, “You’re getting enough sleep, so you’re fine.”
But that’s when I learnt the difference between sleep and true rest.
Lesson 1: God’s Design Includes a Full Stop
When God created the heavens and the earth, He didn’t just work efficiently, He worked with rhythm.
Six days on. One day off.
He didn’t say, “I’ve got more in me; let me just power through.” He modelled the pause. He established pausing to rest as a part of the rhythm of productivity.
If God paused, why do we keep going?
I can say, maybe I paused over the weekend… but let’s be honest… as a mum, weekends are usually filled with catching up on missed house chores! So I really did not pause you know.
Lesson 2: Work Doesn’t Have to Be Over Before You Rest
We’re conditioned to believe we must earn our rest. That once the list is clear, we can finally exhale. But let’s go back to Genesis again; specifically, chapter 2 after God had rested:
God said, “It is not good for man to be alone”! He didn’t front-load everything. He made space to reassess the work of His hands and then thought, “wow, this could be better you know… let’s give him a helpmeet”.
Rest isn’t just about completion; it’s about alignment to His design. You don’t need to finish everything to justify a break. In fact, the longer you wait, the more likely you’ll forget your food at the window… just like me lol!
Lesson 3: The Rest You Actually Need Might Surprise You
We often think rest means sleep. But mental fatigue can outpace physical tiredness! I was sleeping daily… I don’t think I had sleepless nights. I recall however that there were nights I’d wake up, thinking about what I had to do at work the next day – then I’d send a quick email to myself to ensure I did not forget.
Or I’d wake up with a huge lightbulb regarding one of the procedures or plans I was working on. Isn’t that a sign that my brain was still working whilst I was asleep? So the kind of rest I needed, was not just physical!
Research shows there are 7 types of rest:
Physical rest – sleep, naps, body recovery. Infact, some people have included workouts/ exercise under this. I’d say, it’s actually great monitoring your sleep activity or quality, to ensure that you are getting the much needed rest. I’m not saying you should hyperventilate over it, but some devices can help you check if that 7 hours of sleep was actually solid!
Mental rest – pausing racing thoughts, decluttering the mind. This can be done via a mind dump e.g. journaling. This was actually what I needed because my brain had been overactive all through the day!
Spiritual rest – connecting deeply with God. This isn’t the religion aspect… but it does require discipline to not just read your Bible because you want to tick it off as done… but you read it, pray, pause to listen to what God is saying. That is the connection that I am referring to! Sometimes, you are actually stressed as a result of a disconnect with the Father.
Emotional rest – expressing what’s unspoken or suppressed. This is where you actually unburden so you can heal from those emotional hurts. You will potentially need a licensed therapist for this… just so that you can view the world from a renewed lens and not a lens of pain.
Creative rest – surrounding yourself with inspiration and beauty. This can include doing things that ignites passion in you, walking in park, observing nature e.g. watching the sun set etc.
Social rest – choosing relationships that pour into you, not drain you. In saying this, some people prefer resting away from others (the introverts in the house :)). But there’s also that time when connecting with someone in an engaging conversation is a means of rest!
Sensory rest – unplugging from lights, noise, screens. This is huge!!! I have personally discovered that when I start my day by picking up my phone and going through messages, I immediately feel disconnected from what I really need to do for ME!
It’s important to note that sometimes, you’re not tired -you’re overstimulated or disconnected spiritually or carrying emotional burdens you haven’t named or healed from.
Sleep won’t fix what soul rest is meant to restore.
A Check-In for You (and Me)
Maybe you’ve been powering through, like me, checking off to-do’s, staying on schedule, showing up strong.
But ask yourself:
What kind of rest am I actually lacking?
Am I waiting until “it’s all done” before I allow myself a break?
Have I confused being productive with being available 24/7?
As we wrap up this season and step into the next, I want to invite and urge you to reclaim the pause.
Your Turn to Reset
This week, choose one intentional act of rest.
Maybe it’s 30 minutes without your phone.
Maybe it’s saying no to something, even something good.
Maybe it’s a walk. Or worship. Or journaling. Or just sitting in silence.
And if you forget your food at the drive-through like I did… take that as your sacred sign.
It’s time to reset.
Let me know in the comments below:
- What type of rest do you most need right now?
And hey, share this with someone who might also need the reminder that productivity by God’s design includes rest.