How to Actually Rest Without Feeling Lazy

“I should be up doing something. I know I should, but I just don’t feel like it.”

This week has been crazy busy. Between work, volunteering, helping my mom who needed a hand, and everything going on at home, I haven’t had time to breathe, let alone clean. We’ve had takeout every night this week, and the laundry pile is practically forming its own mountain!

Sound familiar?
Have you hit a wall where you just can’t do one more thing, and yet the guilt keeps whispering that you’re being lazy?

You glance around and see dishes in the sink, floors that need mopping, and don’t even get me started on the bathrooms. The inner critic pipes up: You should be doing something productive.

But here’s the truth, your body and your mind were never meant to run nonstop. God didn’t design us to live at a frantic pace. He calls us to rest.

Did you know that shutting off all electronics and simply sitting in silence—no music, no scrolling, no multitasking, is actually one of the healthiest things you can do for your soul?

I once heard someone say, “Hurry is the enemy of Christianity.” And oh, how true that is. I’ve seen it in my own life, when I let the noise and busyness take over, it becomes harder and harder to see Jesus, let alone hear His gentle voice.

Something has to change.
But how?

Here are 5 easy ways to actually rest without feeling lazy—and put Christ back at the center of your days.
Print this out and keep it by your bed as a gentle reminder: rest isn’t wasted time—it’s worship.

5 Easy Ways to Actually Rest Without Feeling Lazy

These aren’t just self-care tips, no, they’re ways to realign your heart with God’s peace so you can stop running on empty and start resting in His presence. And yes, rest without feeling lazy!

1. Bookend Your Day with Prayer

Start and end each day in conversation with God.
Before your feet even hit the floor, whisper a simple pocket prayer like:

“God, help me start my day right and remember Your love as I go through it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

And as you crawl into bed at night, finish with gratitude:

“Lord, thank You for walking with me today. Thank You for Your grace, for what got done and what didn’t. I rest in Your peace tonight.”

It doesn’t have to be long or fancy, just consistent. You’ll be amazed how much calmer and centered your spirit feels when your day begins and ends in His presence.

And, here’s a bonus, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing”. If you’ll pause here and there and say something like “Lord, Jesus come,” he will come, and you’ll feel the easing of your shoulders in that moment from tense to more relaxed.

2. Practice a Tech Sabbath (Even If It’s Just for Half a Day)

Our minds need quiet to hear God’s whisper, and you know what? That’s hard to do when notifications keep chiming. I don’t know about you, but I find myself going down rabbit holes on my phone before I even realize I’m doing it!

Try unplugging completely for a set time each week, and maybe its just a Sunday afternoon or an evening after dinner. Besides, Honor the Sabbath and keep it Holy is 4th Commandment in the 10 Commandments! (See God does know what we need.)

Turn off your phone, TV, and laptop. Step outside. Breathe. Listen. Let silence invite you back into God’s stillness.

If a full day feels impossible, start with a few hours. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s peace.

3. Ask, “How Important Is It?”

I love this one. My mama taught me this one. When you feel overwhelmed by everything on your to-do list, pause and ask yourself this simple but freeing question: How important is it, really?

Sometimes we run ourselves ragged doing things that don’t truly matter.
Maybe the towels don’t have to be folded perfectly, or that committee can run fine without your help this time.

Each week, identify at least one thing you can let go of, even temporarily, to create breathing room. That one “no” might just open up space for the rest your soul has been craving. (Hey, I’m giving you permission not to do that “thing” that you really don’t want to do anyway, so take it!)

4. Schedule Real Rest, and Protect It

I mean it! If rest isn’t on your calendar, it probably won’t happen.

Block out time the same way you would a meeting or appointment because it’s that important.
Maybe it’s a 30-minute walk after dinner, a midweek nap, or a slow Saturday morning with coffee and your Bible. (I love these!)

Rest isn’t laziness; even though the enemy is telling you that. No, it’s obedience to God’s rhythm of renewal. Repeat that so you remember it because it is important.

5. Rest in His Word, Not the World

The world will always be there…pulling at you, dragging you in until you decide to stop it. When you feel like you have to earn your rest, remember this: the world says, “Do more.”

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) (Doesn’t that just make you feel peace all over when you hear Jesus saying that? It sure does me.)

Open your Bible, even for just a few verses. Let His Word replace your worry with truth.
You’ll find that real rest isn’t found in doing nothing, it’s found in trusting the One who holds everything together.

Closing Thought:

True rest doesn’t mean quitting life. It means quieting your heart long enough to remember who’s in charge of it.

Rest is holy. Rest is healing. Rest is worship.

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And just in case you need a little more inspiration because that cell phone won’t leave you along, try this article I wrote a few weeks ago, you’ll love it! What Is Phone Addiction? Everything Christian Women Need to Know About Breaking the Scroll

If you’d like to expand on the peace aspect, I highly recommend learning more about Prayer. https://myicanstory.com/prayer/

And here’s a free 5-minute reset guide that truly and actually works! Break Free from Negative Self-talk 5-Minute Reset Printable Guide – Free