How high performers actually rest (without falling behind)

The last time I took a long break from work was my 4-month backpacking honeymoon through Southeast Asia with Jon.

I didn’t need a sabbatical because I was burned out.

I needed it because I was craving a reset.

Time for family.

Time for health.

Time to think more clearly.

But I knew if I didn’t put structure around it, I’d fill it with… more work.

So I made a plan.

Before my sabbatical started, I used one of my favorite tools from my Google days:

The Start / Stop / Continue list.

It’s how I trade the mental clutter for a plan I can stick to.

The Problem

Even when we can rest, we don’t always know how.

Whether it’s 45 days off, a weeklong vacation, or just your Saturday…

…hitting pause feels harder than it should.

Especially when your brain is wired to check Slack, reply to every email, and squeeze in “just one more thing.”

(And when your work is exciting — or you’re the one in charge — it’s even harder to step back.)

That’s why I needed a plan.

One that gave me structure and permission.

So I could stop defaulting to work and say yes to what matters right now.

The Big Small Thing

Before my sabbatical started, I used one of my favorite tools from my Google days:

The Start / Stop / Continue list.

It’s a simple tool I used all the time at Google offsites to pause, reflect, and realign on team projects and processes.

Now I use it anytime I need a reset with intention.

Here’s how it works:

You make a list of what you’ll start, stop, and continue doing for a specific window of time.

1. Start: What do you want to start doing that supports your goals right now?

My example (these are actual screenshots from my Google doc):

2. Stop: What are you saying no to—so you don’t accidentally fill your free time with more work?

My example:

3. Continue: What’s already working that you want to keep going?

My example:

This list drew a line in the sand I hadn’t been able to draw in my mind.

It helped me stop making micro-decisions all day.

And start showing up for what I really wanted:

More peace.

More presence.

More space to breathe.

You don’t need a sabbatical to do this.

You just need 15 honest minutes and the guts to write it down.

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How This Helps You Get What You Want

If you’ve been craving a reset, you don’t need 45 days off.

You just need a plan.

Try your own Start / Stop / Continue list.

You might be surprised how much brain space it clears.

And how much easier it becomes to protect your time.