7 Types of Rest Every Leader Needs to Avoid Burnout and How to Process Them
It’s Not Just Sleep You’re Missing
If you feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, snappy at your team, uninspired in your work, or detached from your purpose, the problem might not just be physical exhaustion. It might be that you’re neglecting the other kinds of rest your soul and body need.
Too many leaders (myself included), pastors, and professionals assume they just need to “push through,” but the truth is that burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a warning light.
Let’s unpack the 7 types of rest, the pain points they address, and simple ways to practice them so you can lead and live from a place of health.
1. Mental Rest: Calm Your Mind
The Pain Point:
You lie awake at night with thoughts racing.
You can’t focus during meetings.
You feel overwhelmed by decisions.
Your mind is overloaded, and no amount of sleep seems to quiet the mental chatter.
How to Practice Mental Rest:
Take short breaks throughout your day to breathe and reset.
Journal your thoughts to “clear the clutter” out of your head.
Define what “good enough” looks like so you can stop chasing perfection.
Mental rest helps you reclaim clarity and calm.
2. Sensory Rest: Reduce Reactivity
The Pain Point:
You feel irritable when the phone buzzes.
You’re sensitive to noise or bright lights.
You feel drained after staring at screens all day.
We are constantly bombarded by sensory input, such as emails, notifications, conversations, lights, and sounds. And it is exhausting.
How to Practice Sensory Rest:
Do a digital detox for an hour (or a day).
Wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothes.
Open the blinds and soak up some natural light.
Reducing your sensory load allows your nervous system to reset and reduces emotional reactivity.
3. Emotional Rest: Let Go of Pent-Up Emotions
The Pain Point:
You feel like you’re performing rather than being yourself.
You carry resentment and unspoken hurt.
You avoid conflict but feel the tension anyway.
Holding emotions inside is exhausting and can manifest in anxiety or disconnection.
How to Practice Emotional Rest:
Forgive someone, even if it’s just in your heart.
Acknowledge and feel your emotions without judgment.
Seek out safe spaces where you can speak honestly.
Emotional rest brings relief and lightness to your soul.
4. Physical Rest: Give Your Body Time to Recharge
The Pain Point:
You wake up tired, even after 8 hours of sleep.
Your body aches or feels sluggish.
You’ve lost your rhythm of exercise or sleep.
Physical exhaustion can’t always be fixed by sleeping longer because your body also needs intentional stillness and gentle movement.
How to Practice Physical Rest:
Catch up on your sleep if you’re truly deprived.
Add movement like stretching or walking.
Schedule moments of stillness during your day.
Physical rest restores your strength and energy.
5. Social Rest: Find Quality Connections
The Pain Point:
You feel drained after spending time with people.
You’re surrounded by demands but lack real support.
You say yes to everyone but feel resentful inside.
Not all social interactions are equal, because some fill you up, others deplete you.
How to Practice Social Rest:
Seek out supportive, life-giving people.
Step back from relationships that feel toxic or draining.
Set boundaries around your time and availability.
Social rest helps you rebuild connections without burnout.
6. Spiritual Rest: Seek Deeper Purpose
The Pain Point:
You feel disconnected from your faith or calling.
You wonder if what you’re doing really matters.
You feel empty even when you’re busy.
Leaders and professionals can lose sight of the “why” behind their work, leaving them feeling hollow and directionless.
How to Practice Spiritual Rest:
Spend time in prayer, meditation, or quiet reflection.
Journal your thoughts to reconnect with your values.
Volunteer or serve to re-anchor your sense of purpose.
Spiritual rest restores meaning to your work and life.
7. Creative Rest: Connect to Inspiration
The Pain Point:
You feel uninspired or stuck in a rut.
Your work feels mechanical rather than meaningful.
You’ve lost your sense of wonder and play.
Without creative rest, your imagination and problem-solving abilities dry up.
How to Practice Creative Rest:
Pick up a hobby you enjoy without pressure to “produce.”
Spend time in nature to awaken your senses.
Visit a museum, theatre, or anything that sparks awe.
Creative rest refreshes your ability to innovate and dream.
Rest Is a Necessity, Not a Luxury
One of the biggest lies leaders believe is that rest is optional.
The truth is, neglecting rest leads to:
Chronic fatigue
Impaired decision-making
Damaged relationships
Spiritual dryness
Loss of creativity and vision
The longer you ignore these warning signs, the harder it becomes to recover.
Incorporating Rest Into Your Routine
If this list feels overwhelming, don’t try to fix everything at once. Instead:
Choose one type of rest that speaks to your pain point.
Commit to one small practice this week.
Give yourself permission to rest without guilt.
You can’t pour into others if your own cup is empty.
You Deserve To Lead From A Place of Health
Rest is not selfish.
Rest is not weakness.
Rest is an act of stewardship — of your body, mind, and calling.
By embracing all seven types of rest, you can serve and lead with more clarity, energy, and authenticity.
If you find yourself stuck or unsure where to start, I help leaders like you identify where they’re drained, design rhythms of rest that work, and recover their passion for their work.
Your Move
✅ I help pastors design strategies that work.
✅ Implement systems that last.
✅ And develop leaders with a heart for people.
Schedule a free discovery call today.
Visit ericvhampton.com to start the conversation.
See you next Saturday!
Eric V Hampton
Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
Pew Patterns. My new book helps leaders like you make sense of the shifting spiritual landscape and build churches where people don’t just attend… they belong.
The Healthy Church Leader Annual Review. My annual review guides you from celebration (remembering past wins) to expectation (planning future wins) as you pursue your Christ-centered mission.
The Real MVP. I wrote and designed this book to invest in your leadership. Become a person of mission, vision, and purpose in 60 minutes.