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Intentional Rest: Checking Out May Be The Wisest Use of Time

Written by: Noah Learner Tags: newsletter, jobs-career

Published: Dec 22, 2025  |  Last Updated: Dec 22, 2025

It's the time of year for rest, renewal, and rebirth. I'm not a resolution person. But to make the holidays truly restful and enjoyable, I like to tap into a few tried and true methods that work for me to put it all into perspective.

A little patience and grace with ourselves, and those in our sphere, can make this time of year a little softer. In theory, it's "letting go of the small stuff"; in practice, it's:

Believing

Renew your faith in yourself and in our field. We will have jobs in 2026 because we will continue to create value. This is our time to stake our flags in the sand and make a claim that we matter; to lead the way in developing the processes that are valued by stakeholders.

Intentional rest

There is a hard limit on things you can accomplish in certain situations. In hustle cultures like the US we can sometimes feel guilty if we don't use our time off wisely. A November 2024 study from Movchan Agency found that 54% of US employees work while on vacation, 59% struggle to "turn off", and 47% feel guilty if they don't work while on vacation. 

Instead, deliberately check out and allow yourself to really enjoy the time away. Delete the apps, be present, whatever you need to do to actually rest.

"Me time" actually repairs cells

New data from UCSF researchers have found that deep rest, a state achieved through the rhythm and flow of doing something calming, helps renew us at the cellular level. 

We're in a constant state of stress at work, experiencing elevated coritsol levels for most of the day. This kind of long-term stress can degrade our cells all the way down to our DNA. This puts pressure on all of our bodily functions, which makes us susceptible to disease. Deteriotating cells make it harder to focus and reduce our mental agility, making work feel harder and more stressful, so the cycle continues. 

The great news is that it's easier to break than we think 

Amazing news, folks: You don't need to meditate OR write in a journal! 

That's right. The key connection that the UCSF researchers made is that contemplative activities that induce a state of flow, deepen the breath, calm the mind, stimulate the senses, or absorb nature, reduces stress. Therefore anything you enjoy – a hobby, stretching, art, or just sitting outside to feel the breeze and sunshine in nature – can have the physiological benefits of deep rest. 

For me, that's biking a route north of my house that parallels the mountains, coasting past old barns on open spaces, weaving in and out of neighborhoods, and past audiences of perked up prairie dogs. Our cool alter egos, our outlets, can be the exact thing that makes us more prepared – mentally and physically – to do better work during designated work time. 

Breathing techniques

When "just check out" or "serenity now" stops working, use the box breathing method: Breathe in for three seconds, hold for three, and exhale over three. This method builds up CO2 in the bloodstream, calming the heart rate.

2026 will be another building year

We'll continue making our way together, and defining what the future looks like as we build it.

Demandsphere's Ray Grieselhuber was featured alongside many of our members (who also happen to be top industry experts, which will never cease to amaze me how awesome this Community is) in Search Engine Journal's Top Experts' SEO Advice for 2026 by Shelley Walsh. 

As Andy Crestodina reminds us, have an eye on the trends but double down on the fundamentals. 

Merry merry to you and yours, and no matter how you celebrate this time of year, be sure to celebrate yourself – 2025 was a big one.