Physiologically, humans need rest and sleep. When we don't get enough of it, we lose some of our ability to concentrate, calculate, remember, and even perceive the world as it really is. Muscles fail to recover, our energy reserves deplete, and our hearts beat faster.
Psychologically, the situation is no better. When we feel like we are constantly “at work,” working hard and for long periods of time, life can start to seem hopeless. Waking up tired and mechanically going to an office with colleagues you can barely stand is a surefire path to professional burnout, depression, and emotional collapse. The formula “eat, sleep, work, repeat” makes one lose the vitality and joy of life.
Therefore, we should take vacation seriously. We need to be more conscious of our vacations and free time, because if we don't, we will slowly fade away. And, according to the German philosopher Josef Pieper, we will lose the very things that make life worthwhile.
The philosophical argument for rest
Using the weekend simply to "recharge the batteries" or viewing vacations as a short breather before returning to work again is a sign that things have taken a wrong turn.
In his 1948 work, Leisure: The Basis of Culture, Josef Pieper argued that leisure should not be seen simply as the absence of work. It is not limited to the two-day weekend or the few hours after the end of the workday. It is not simply about sleeping in longer, spending a day at the spa, or taking care of yourself. According to Pieper, leisure is the moment when we open ourselves to the deeper dimensions of life: meaning, beauty, truth, friendship, and even God.
Writing in the 1940s, he argued that people were suffering from a lack of leisure, in part because they didn’t value rest. If you’re not working, you’re considered wasting time. Relaxation is seen only as a means to being more productive later. We lie on the couch so we’re ready for work on Monday morning and rest on the weekend just so we can work better during the week.
For Pieper, a culture that loses the meaning of leisure is missing something essential. When we deny ourselves the opportunity for real rest, we lose meaning, human connections, and authentic friendships. A world that stifles leisure and denies rest without good reason is robbing us of the most important parts of being human.
Three ways to rest better
Philosophy is often very good at identifying problems, but it usually leaves the practical solutions to other disciplines. In this case, we can refer to a 2025 study that analyzed the factors that make a period of rest truly regenerative.
Take short breaks, but more often
Researchers found that it's more beneficial to take a short vacation every couple of months than to take a week or two off just once or twice a year. Hop on the train and visit a friend, even if it's just for one night. Book a cheap flight to that city you've always wanted to see. Turn your weekends into mini-vacations. Whatever you do, don't pile on months of uninterrupted work. Don't go too long without taking a break.
Completely disconnect from work
In the movie Green Book, the character played by Viggo Mortensen says something worth remembering: “Whatever you do, do it 100%. When you work, work. When you laugh, laugh. When you eat, eat like it's your last meal.”
When you go on vacation, treat it like a real vacation. Turn off notifications, turn off auto-responders, and focus on relaxing. As Pieper emphasized, taking time off from work is an opportunity to reconnect with the bigger things in life. It's a space that allows us to appreciate what gives meaning and depth to our existence.
Stay active.
According to researchers, not all types of vacations have the same effect. If you spend all day at the beach, drink every night, and let time slip away without doing anything, you're likely to return home without feeling truly rested.
Try to be physically active: walk, explore new places, participate in activities. Or stimulate your mind: have interesting conversations, get to know the local culture, try something new.
We all look forward to vacations and often complain that they don't give us the effect we expected. We sit down at our desks on Monday after a week away and say, "It feels like I never left at all." Maybe the reason is simpler than we think: maybe we just don't know how to rest properly.
