Cultures of Wellbeing: Why We Need to Rest

Mar 30

Hey nonprofit leader, have you caught yourself thinking one of these phrases?

I can only rest if I’ve earned it.
My exhaustion shows how dedicated I am.
I don’t have time or can’t afford to rest right now.
Rest is for the weak. I don’t want to be seen as lazy.

If so, know that you’re not alone. Nonprofit professionals are often plagued by some of the most harmful narratives about rest. But the truth is, those most dedicated to making the world a better place must prioritize ample time to rest and recover. The work is not easy, and resting allows us to sustain ourselves for the long haul.

But here’s the thing: taking rest breaks from your work is more than just a good night’s sleep before a long day, or taking PTO after a busy season. Resting as a social impact professional starts with knowing that you are worthy of rest. This edition of Cultures of Wellbeing explores how you can integrate ongoing principles and practices of rest for yourself and your teams.

What Is Workplace Wellbeing?

At its core, wellbeing is a combination of factors that impact our ability to live healthy and fulfilling lives. It encompasses every facet of our lives, from our physical health, to our finances, and our social connections. Work is no exception. Everything from workplace culture to daily tasks directly impacts our wellbeing. For nonprofits, where teams are often stretched thin due to funding limitations and high expectations, the impact can be even greater.

Workplace wellbeing has become a critical focus for organizations looking to create a supportive and productive environment for their employees. These initiatives are meant to help professionals feel valued, supported, and equipped to sustain their passion for their work. For nonprofit leaders, this means creating environments where people can thrive in their roles and contribute to an organization's mission without sacrificing their mental and emotional health.

What Does It Mean To Truly Rest?

Beyond the common rest narratives mentioned earlier, many nonprofit professionals have been conditioned to equate rest with surface-level activities. This can include binge-watching a TV show, taking a single day off work, or scheduling that manicure or massage. While these activities may provide temporary relief, they often serve as band-aids for deeper issues related to workplace burnout and exhaustion.

One of our favorite wellness experts, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, identifies seven different types of rest that we all need. Her framework highlights the variety of ways we need to rest, as well as the depth at which we must engage in restful practices. True rest leads to deep restoration, clarity, and sustainable wellbeing. The goal isn’t just to engage in more restful behaviors, but to also adopt a practice of rest that helps to shift perspectives on how to relate to work and productivity. This requires commitment, intentionality, and a willingness to challenge the way we give ourselves permission to rest. Here are some differences between true rest and surface rest:

True rest says, “Let’s give our bodies enough time to fully recover from an illness,” while surface rest says, “You’re starting to feel better after one day off, so let’s get back to work ASAP.”
True rest says, “Let’s address the core issues that dysregulate our nervous systems and put constant strain on our mind and emotions (e.g., speaking up about unreasonable workloads),” while surface rest says “Let’s treat the symptoms of nervous system dysregulation (e.g., constantly calling out sick).”
True rest says, “Let’s put up clear boundaries with the people that are draining our energy,” while surface rest says, “Let’s say we’re unavailable, but stay reachable the moment someone needs us.”

Why Does Our Sector Need To Prioritize Rest?

Some of our work is inspired by the Stress and Pressure Performance Curve, which outlines the ideal “zones” in which we want to experience stress at work. However, many nonprofit professionals operate in high-to-very-high pressure environments, which increases the risk of non-ideal zones of strain and burnout. Just like a minor injury or a pesky cold, ignoring our body’s signs for rest can lead to unwanted consequences, like more serious injuries or illnesses. The same is true for neglecting our warning signs when we’re operating in non-ideal stress zones. Unfortunately, the nonprofit sector has historically conditioned and awarded employees to work beyond r capacity for stress and exhaustion.

These beliefs can normalize burnout as a badge of honor. While burnout isn’t a formal mental health diagnosis, it can still act as a catalyst for chronic physical and emotional exhaustion, which leads employees to leave organizations and abandon their opportunity to have a meaningful impact within the organization.

While there are several factors that contribute to mitigating high stress and exhaustion for employees, prioritizing rest stands out as essential. When nonprofit organizations embed rest into their culture, they create environments where employees have permission to recharge, think creatively, and refuel their passion. Importantly, rest isn’t just an individual responsibility—it’s an organizational necessity.

It's important for leaders to model rest for others. When colleagues see leadership engaging in rest, it sends a message that acknowledges the humanity of their teams and recognizes that caring for staff is a strategic investment in the mission itself. Here’s what can happen when rest is prioritized:

Physical vitality and sustained energy: When nonprofit professionals have the time and space to restore their physical energy, they are granted opportunities to strengthen their immune systems and overall health. This could lead to reduced absenteeism while allowing individuals to show up fully present and energized for the work they care about.

Mental clarity and enhanced problem-solving: The quality of work improves if people have ample time to shut down and rest their minds. When teams have opportunities to recharge their minds, decision-making becomes sharper, creative solutions emerge with greater ease, and their sense of purpose is renewed.

Emotional balance and renewed compassion: If we treat emotional wellbeing as essential to our work, then opportunities for emotional rest allow individuals to better regulate stress responses, maintain their empathy, and engage with both colleagues and communities from a place of grounded care and resilience.

What Our Community Says

In conversations with nonprofit leaders just like you, we’ve heard interesting insights about rest feedback:

“If we're going to fight we're going to have to tag each other and tap out for a moment, take a nap, rest, recoup, and recover.”
“I’m beholden to my calendar, and it’s easy to overlook opportunities to rest when there’s ‘no time.’ What works for me is making sure to schedule my rest.”
“We need more nonprofit organizations to provide mini-sabbaticals or send folks on restorative retreats. It would be great in times like these to use professional development funding so people can restore themselves and their nervous systems.”

These voices highlight a common theme: the sector needs intentional and structured rest. Rest isn’t passive–it requires planning, collective support, and organizational commitment. Whether it be sharing workloads, scheduling rest into team calendars, or offering formal rest opportunities as a part of benefits packages, there is a shared recognition that sustainable impact depends on making rest a priority.

3 Questions to Consider

Part of establishing a rest practice is unlearning previous narratives. For instance, rest isn’t something that we have to earn. As Tricia Hersey argues, rest is a fundamental human right, not a luxury. Here are some questions to reflect on personally and with your team.

Do I view rest as essential to my work, or as something to be earned? Does my guilt show up when I take breaks or time off? How do I communicate with others when they take breaks or time off?
Are we building rest into our workflows? Do our schedules allow for true downtime, or is pushing through exhaustion one of our cultural norms? What adjustments could make rest a natural part of how we work?
How can I set the tone for a well-rested team? As a leader or team member, how can I model healthy boundaries and encourage others to prioritize rest without fear of judgment or punishment?

2 Action Steps to Get Started

No matter how ingrained the culture of overwork may be, prioritizing rest is possible—even in small ways. Here are two meaningful actions you can take today to begin integrating real rest into your life and workplace:

1. Explore New Modes of Rest

Take time to evaluate new modes of rest, perhaps by using Dr. Dalton’s framework for The 7 Different Types of Rest as a guide to identify which areas you may be neglecting. Then, set a small, intentional goal to incorporate more of the rest you actually need—whether it’s more solitude, creative expression, or time away from screens.

2. Set Rest-Friendly Boundaries

One of the biggest barriers to rest is the pressure to always be available. Setting boundaries around work and personal time is essential for sustainable wellbeing. Consider:

Blocking out non-negotiable rest times in your calendar. This could be as simple as requesting 10 minute breaks between meetings.
Establishing clear expectations with your team about response times and after-hours work.
Encouraging a culture where taking breaks, using PTO, and logging off are seen as necessary, not a sign of weakness.

If you’re in a leadership position, model this behavior openly—take time off without guilt, respect your team’s boundaries, and create policies that reinforce a culture of rest.

1 Healthy Mantra To Keep In Mind

“Rest is the foundation of a liberated life.” - Tricia Hersey

Join the Conversation!

At Do Good Leadership Collective, we believe that nonprofit employees shouldn’t just survive their work—they should thrive in it. If you’ve found ways to prioritize rest and recovery in your nonprofit, we’d love to hear your strategies. Share your thoughts in the comments, or reach out to learn more about how we can help you and your teams create sustainable work habits.

By the way, we host a #SlowRead book club 2-3 times a year. We will begin reading Tricia Hersey’s Rest Is Resistance in April 2025. You can email us at loretta@dogoodleadershipcollective.com to sign up for the book club.

If this post resonated with you, share it with your network or reach out to continue the conversation!

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