Perspective
Why Rest Is A Strategy, Not A Reward!
By Diana Muhairwe
We entrepreneurs are a rare breed, aren’ t we? We chase impossible ideas, lose sleep over margins and throw ourselves into our work with a passion that both inspires and exhausts us.
And if you’ re anything like I was a few years ago, you probably think that’ s how it’ s supposed to be. That success is for the ones who hustle harder, sleep later and power through exhaustion. That rest is what you“ earn” at the end of the hustle if you ever get there.
I used to believe that too, until one year, my own hustle nearly broke me. I remember staring at my phone and notebook late one night trying to figure out why my brilliant idea hadn’ t taken off and why the numbers weren’ t adding up. I had done everything; pitched relentlessly, networked, prayed, consulted and showed up to every opportunity, yet I was running on fumes.
My creativity was gone, my judgment clouded and my motivation was a whisper of what it used to be. That night, it hit me. I wasn’ t failing because I wasn’ t working hard enough, I was failing because I was working too hard to see clearly. And so I began to learn what no one had taught me before: Rest isn’ t a reward for finishing the race, it’ s a strategy for how you actually win it.
The Lie of Hustle Culture
We live in a world that glorifies the grind.“ Sleep is for the weak, Winners hustle while others sleep” they say. What they don’ t say is that this mindset is one of the biggest reasons so many visionary leaders burn out before they ever see their vision come to life.
Harvard Business Review reported that 77 % of entrepreneurs experience burnout at some point in their careers, even more sobering, those who burn out are twice as likely to fail.
Here’ s the uncomfortable truth: hustle culture isn’ t noble. It’ s a TRAP. We confuse busyness with progress. We measure our worth in how tired we are. Meanwhile, our creativity, innovation, relationships, health, and life satisfaction quietly crumble in the background.
The Reality of Entrepreneur Burnout
Entrepreneurship is undeniably rewarding, but the toll it takes on mental health is substantial. Recent findings show that about one third of entrepreneurs face burnout at some point. Studies estimate the actual figure to be around 34 % and those affected often see their self-esteem erode and existential doubts set in more acutely than employees in traditional jobs.
It doesn’ t stop at burnout. Over a quarter of entrepreneurs report a poor work life balance, struggling to disconnect from their businesses and find true rest. This continued strain leads to broader mental health issues most of which lead to chronic stress. Alarmingly, the fall out isn’ t just personal, burn out founders are statistically more likely to see their ventures fail.
Why Rest Feels Wrong
Many entrepreneurs and leaders wear busyness like an armor. We have been taught that rest is equal to laziness, a luxury reserved only for those deemed weak by the grind culture. But that thinking is backward. If you feel uneasy about taking time off for yourself, you are not alone. It’ s a psychological bias reinforced by the myth that rest is the opposite of success. In reality, most enduring performers whether in business, sports or the arts rely on routine rest to stay sharp and resilient.
Here’ s the uncomfortable truth: hustle culture isn’ t noble. It’ s a TRAP. We confuse busyness with progress. We measure our worth in how tired we are. Meanwhile, our creativity, innovation, relationships, health, and life satisfaction quietly crumble in the background.
Here’ s what I’ ve learned the hard way: Your value is not only in your output, your worth doesn’ t depend only on how much you produce and your business won’ t collapse because you took a day to recover.
The ROI of Rest
You wouldn’ t drive your car on an empty tank, would you? Or plant seeds in a garden that hasn’ t recovered from the last harvest? Yet we treat ourselves like machines forgetting that even machines
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