Headspace_logo_svg
Try for freeTry for free
PodcastWork Hard, Rest Harder

Work Hard, Rest Harder

Most of us grew up with the mantra “work hard, play hard.” You can take extended periods of rest, like a vacation — but only if you work first! This weekend, take a mini-vacation or staycation. Prioritize rest, and we’ll see you back here on Monday.

Try 14 days free

Better mental health starts with Headspace. Unrivaled expertise to make life feel a little easier, using guided meditations, mindfulness tips, focus tools, sleep support, and dedicated programs.

Try 14 days free
Better mental health starts with Headspace

(gentle music) Headspace Studio. (upbeat music) Hi, this is Kessonga, and I welcome you this Friday to Radio Headspace. So first I want to take a mindful moment to wish a special person in my life a very happy birthday. It's me. Happy birthday to me. Today is indeed my birthday. And so I was thinking about the special days of the year and how I have a cousin in real estate who posts about how each day has some special relevance. So for instance, there's a national cupcake day, and one of my favorites, a national meditation day. And so one of these national days that caught my attention is National Workaholics Day. This year, it actually fell on July 5th. This national day is meant to remind everyone to find more harmony between their work and their home life. So I actually asked myself, hmm, am I a workaholic? And then I asked, do I allow myself to take purposeful extended pauses from work, IE, a vacation? And then I thought about the importance of taking one. So growing up, one of the mantras that was instilled in me is work hard, play hard, but you have to work hard first. And so I just always developed a work ethic where I kind of just grinded it out. This was through high school, college, and grad school, both times. But I feel like I was able to also harmonize it with having fun too. These days I have live-in work play monitors in the form of my lovely daughters and wife. So let me explain. Last month we decided to take a beach vacation to the outer banks of North Carolina. Beautiful beaches there. In my mind, it was going to be a work vacay. I had a presentation to do online and I had a lot of writing to do, but I told myself I would also enjoy some beach downtime. The work play harmonizing, right? Well apparently I got it wrong because on the third night, my ladies very mindfully told me that I was working too much and not making the vacation feel like a vacation. I found this so interesting. But this is what we often do, right? In today's society where everything is go, go, go, more, more, more, and now, now, now, do we actually allow ourselves to just pause and stop and take in what's really important? And so in this instance, not that my work wasn't important, but was it more important than missing those precious moments with my family? Absolutely not. And guess what? I actually did listen to them and I put my work aside and devoted my full attention to them, and it was magnificent. Not only did I enjoy my time with my family, but I allowed my mind and my total being to just kind of decompress. Because I love my work so much to the point where it really doesn't even feel like work....

Details

TypePodcast
Duration5 min

About your teachers

  • A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.

    More about Andy
  • Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.

    More about Eve
  • As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.

    More about Dora
  • Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.

    More about Kessonga
  • Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.

    More about Rosie
Your lifelong guide to better mental health

Your lifelong guide to better mental health

Stress, sleep, and all the challenging emotions — care for your mind with the everyday mental health app that's shown to make a difference.

Try 14 days free
Look After Your Mind

Look after your mind

Proven guided meditations and programs to help you stress less, sleep more soundly, and better navigate life’s challenges

Science Backed

Science-backed

Studies show that using Headspace for 30 days can reduce stress, increase resilience, and improve overall well-being

Explore Content

Explore 1000+ 
expert-led exercises

Access our library of meditations, breathing exercises, and guidance videos for stress, sleep, focus, everyday anxiety , parenting, and more.

Member reviews

Hear from some of our members

Your app brings so much peace and tolerance to our home.

Rachel

UK

Member-Icon-01

Changing my thoughts has allowed me to change my life.

Davide

London

Member-Icon-04

The stress and loneliness courses … taught me how to comfort myself.

Alicia

Canada

Member-Icon-03

Headspace provides me with … a connection to myself, and a disconnection from negative thoughts, feelings, and sensations.

Keri

UK

Member-Icon-02

Related to 'Work Hard Rest'

More to explore

Beginning Meditation

Explore-More-Icon-02

Reframe Stress and Relax

Explore-More-Icon-01

New and Popular

Explore-More-Icon-03

Becoming a Mindful Parent

Explore-More-Icon-04
    • Terms & conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Consumer Health Data
    • Your privacy choices
      Privacy Choices Icon
    • CA Privacy Notice
  • © 2024 Headspace Inc.
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Consumer Health Data
  • Your privacy choices
    Privacy Choices Icon
  • CA Privacy Notice