Does Resting More Mean You're Getting Lazy? It Depends

Last week’s content, What We’re Getting Wrong About Self-Care, stimulated some great discussion. Many people reached out to share how it changed their perspective.

One of the things that came up was: Just how do you honour your need for rest when doing so impedes other aspects of self-care?

It’s a great question! It is important to acknowledge that there’s a push and pull between getting adequate sleep and the two other aspects of foundational self-care: moving your body and making time to prepare meals that nourish your body. It’s especially hard to know how to prioritize when these needs are competing with other priorities for their slice of those precious 1440 minutes that make up your day.

Take my client, Sheila, for example. She’s always been an incredibly ambitious and productive person. But she’s now in that season of life where her nights are often punctuated by periods of sleeplessness. It might be a noise that jolts her awake, but it’s the slow swirl of her thoughts that keep her awake—sometimes for hours.

Not long ago, she was a die-hard early morning exerciser. She’d be up before the sun, her workout done before most people reached for their first cup of coffee. She thrived on how this made her feel—accomplished, empowered, and most importantly, equipped to take on the rest of her unpredictable day.

But lately, she’s chosen differently. Two days a week, she works from home and on those days, she’s decided not to set an alarm. She has made an agreement with herself to honour her body’s need for rest, given her inconsistent sleep patterns. She still gets her workout in, but it might be later in the morning or at the end of her workday.

While she’s managing to prioritize rest and healthy movement, letting go of her status as an early morning riser has been tough. It isn’t in line with her identity. She’s always been the kind of person who has been defined by her drive and that unwavering belief that she should be able to do it all—rested or not.

I bet you can relate. It’s a trap many high performers fall into. But eventually, there’s a cost.

And thankfully Sheila has recognized that the cost is one she’s no longer willing to pay. But before she could make peace with her decision, she first had to work through the fear that sleeping in meant she was “lazy”.

Are you at a similar crossroads? Are you questioning whether your relentless early morning wakeups are serving their purpose or instead, contributing to your risk of burnout? Or, on the flipside, are you a person who does sleep in but you’re wondering whether it’s taking away from other aspects of your self-care system?

Whichever camp you fall into, here are some questions to consider when trying to decide whether you truly need rest or you would do better getting up and getting on with your day.

1. Ask yourself, What’s my intention for extra sleep?

For example, are you sleeping in to support recovery and well-being, or are you avoiding discomfort, responsibility, or change? If the decision is rooted in self-compassion and a desire to replenish energy, that’s rest.

If it’s rooted in dread, procrastination, or fear of starting the day—it may be avoidance. If it’s this, consider one thing that I’ve learned: whether it’s 430am or 830am, getting up is uncomfortable. But once my feet hit the floor, the time stops mattering. The hard part is already behind me and the earlier I’m up, the more possibility the day holds.

2. Ask yourself, How will I feel about this choice at 10am?

Visualize yourself a few hours from now. If you’re riddled with regret about not getting up and seizing the day and you feel fuzzy and frazzled, the extra time in bed may not be worth it.

But if you see yourself as rested, vibrant, and grateful for the later start, it invites a different decision. This question encourages values-aligned decision-making rather than mood-aligned.

3. Ask yourself, Am I physically tired or emotionally unmotivated?

While these feel similar, they require distinct approaches. Physical exhaustion requires rest.

The solution to emotional drag is generally action-oriented—taking action builds momentum, helps you reconnect with your purpose, and might just stimulate a bit of good stress that will help you to feel focused, solution-driven, and empowered. Checking in with both your body and your thoughts can help clarify what you truly need.

4. Ask yourself, Have I been using sleep as a form of self-care or as an escape?

There’s a difference between restorative rest and numbing through disengagement.

If sleeping in has become a go-to coping mechanism to avoid life’s pressures, it’s not rest—it’s avoidance. That signals a deeper need to address emotional overwhelm, not just physical fatigue.

5. Ask yourself, What would make me thrive this morning?

Languishing and rest can look the same from the outside but feel very different on the inside. True rest restores your capacity to feel engaged.

Languishing leaves you flat, foggy, and disconnected. Think about what would wake up your spirit—there might be a more effective solution than hitting snooze.

The Takeaway

Whether you’ve been clinging to early wakeups as a badge of honour or leaning into sleep in ways that don’t truly restore you, it might be time to pause and reevaluate.

The important thing to remember is this: Rest is not the enemy of productivity; it’s the foundation of it. When you rest with intention, you’re not opting out of discipline—you’re choosing a version that actually supports your long-term growth. Slowing down isn’t quitting; it’s choosing to play the long game.

📩Did something here give you insight or lighten your mental load? If so, can you think of a friend, colleague, or family member that would also have a better day because of it? Consider sharing the link with them—you never know whose day you might help shift for the better.