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This Human by Melis Senova

πŸ› Self-care is not selfish

Published about 1 month agoΒ β€’Β 1 min read

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She sells self-care
by the sea shore

We wish that were true. It's more like...

She sells her time 24/7/365 because that's what makes her valuable. She has no time for self-care. That's for other people. She's too busy to even think about it.

Western culture often ties productivity to personal worth, promoting the idea that relentless hard work is the only way to succeed.

This 'grind culture' pushes people to ignore their need for rest, making them feel guilty when they take breaks. It suggests that our value is measured by what we produce, leading to the belief that rest is a waste of time.

However, just as music relies on rests between the notes, so too do our minds and bodies need pauses. Without rest, music would be nothing more than an overwhelming wall of sound, lacking rhythm, variety, and nuance. The same is true for our livesβ€”without rest, we lose balance and creativity.

Key principles about grind culture and productivity:

  • Grind culture links constant hard work with success and self-worth.
  • Rest is often seen as unproductive, leading to feelings of guilt.
  • The body and mind require rest to restore energy and maintain creativity.
  • Creativity cannot thrive under constant pressure.

Self-care, like the rests in music, allows us to regain rhythm and energy. It is not just a break but a vital part of our ability to create, think, and live well. Without rest, the harmony of life simply cannot exist.

Sometimes, rest is the most productive thing you can do.

So, take a beat, a breath, a moment. Pause and rest.

You've got this.

Love,

PS. Next week we'll explore why self-care is so important to design (and other creative) work. πŸ’†β€β™€οΈ πŸ’†β€β™‚οΈ

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This Human by Melis Senova

Helping designers lead.

Enabling senior design professionals to be more influential within their organisations. ✨ Author of this human and design character, published by BIS Publishers.πŸ“š

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