Kendra Zhao

Rest is important because the optimization mindset eventually hits a point of diminishing return.

Ever since I started high school, I’ve felt a constant need to be productive. Every free hour that wasn’t spent checking something off my to-do list and every second I don’t spend working toward a more impressive resume or a perfect transcript is time wasted. However, I found myself wondering, is that really the right way to think?

In my freshman year, I faced an important math test that stood between me and the grade I had been aiming for the entire semester. I spent an entire week constantly reviewing, staying up well past midnight to stuff my brain with every practice problem I could find. However, when I finally sat down for the assessment, my exhaustion caught up with me in the form of a thick mental fog. Despite the amount of time I spent studying, my performance was mediocre, as I made careless mistakes on concepts I had mastered days prior.

Following many tests with similar performances, I came to realize that my dedication had actually been my downfall. The test grades taught me that sometimes, the most productive thing I can do for myself isn’t another hour of parametric equations, but the simple act of taking a break and going to sleep. By approaching my next assessments with the latter approach, I found that, for me, a good night’s sleep was more effective than multiple hours of continuous cramming.

Rest is important because the optimization mindset eventually hits a point of diminishing return. When we treat our minds like machines that must run at maximum capacity 24/7, we don’t actually get more done. Rather, we tire our brains, leading to burnout and a loss of mental clarity needed to be the most efficient.

Sleep isn’t the only “unproductive” activity that improves the quality of my work. I have found that by simply pursuing hobbies like crocheting or reading sci-fi novels, going on walks and taking the time to sit in silence to reflect on my actions (pursuits with zero resume value), I temporarily distance myself from the growing burdens of high school. What reinforced my ideas was listening to Dino Ambrosi’s talk regarding the use of our time and how we often trade our most valuable hours for nothing in return. Ambrosi is a tech-wellness expert who teaches people how to reclaim their time by minimizing use of technology to only what is necessary, and hearing his thoughts encouraged me more to find the most efficient use of my time.

Now, when I hit a wall while reviewing for math, I stop. I’ve found that a few minutes of the simple and repetitive patterns of crocheting does more for me than an hour of staring at an unsolved problem. These breaks allow my mind to reset, making the seemingly impossible solutions suddenly obvious. By prioritizing this rest, I’ve traded academic burnout for a healthy pace of studying.

I’ve come to realize that my previous mentality is ultimately a flaw in logic. High performance isn’t about grinding for hours and hours; rather, it’s about having a clear head when it actually counts. By trading the non-stop hustle for a rhythm I can actually keep up with, I’ve stopped trying to be the person who works the longest and started focusing on being the one who works with the most intent.