An Ancient Cure for Modern Stress: Fallow Seasons

Woman in a field

Source: By Freepik / Freepik

"Sleep is for the weak."

"The grind never stops."

"We will rest when we are dead."

In the go-go-go world, the idea of rest is mocked. Frowned upon. We’re told to always keep going, to keep plugging, to keep up.

It’s not just e-mails at 11 p.m. anymore; it’s the push to "optimize" every part of our lives. Sleep trackers measure how efficiently we rest. Meditation apps urge us to “maximize” mindfulness. There’s a productivity tool for every waking (and sometimes sleeping) moment.

Well. What happens to a field that is constantly cultivated, season after season?

Nutrients become depleted. Yields fall. The quality and nutritional value of crops go down. The field ecosystem is unwell.

Early growers used to move elsewhere after depleting the fields. But that was not a sustainable way to live or to work, in the long run. Then, the discovery of the benefits of the fallow period—intentionally leaving a field unplanted for a season—revolutionized farming. Even now, when left to rest, the soil regenerates its nutrients and becomes more fertile, increasing overall productivity and profits.

Our brains, like the Earth, need fallow periods to thrive. Just as leaving fields fallow supports healthy, sustainable agriculture, allowing our minds guilt-free rest means healthy, sustainable living.

And neither synthetic fertilizers nor caffeine pills accomplish the same result.

A Fallow for Your Brain

Rest is not the opposite of productivity; it’s the foundation of it. Taking time to go fallow is investing in our brains' long-term performance.

When we ignore the need for rest, the consequences are real and damaging. Just as overworked soil loses its ability to produce crops, an overworked brain becomes less effective. We notice cognitive fatigue, memory glitches, a loss of creativity. Our lives can go from "blah" to full-on burnout. Guilting and urging ourselves to "keep up" only makes things worse, prompting depression and anxiety.

Constant work is not natural. Resting is.

Taking a mental fallow period can mean major life changes, but for most of us, the adjustments will be slow and small. Most of us will not move to Tibet. But we can incorporate regular breaks, schedule time for activities that nourish our mind without demanding cognitive output, or just sit and look at the moon for most of the evening, guilt-free.

Still, even small changes must start with giving ourselves permission to not be always "on." And that might require getting ourselves off the cultural hook of constant business. It is not an easy thing to do when we are surrounded by business, for sure—but it is possible.

Here is how you can detox from the hustle culture:

Challenge Cultural Pressure

• Recognize the myth of busyness as a badge of honor. Being busy doesn’t necessarily mean being productive or fulfilled.
• Resist guilt associated with rest. It's easy to feel guilty when you're not being "productive" by societal standards. Recognize that downtime is essential for long-term effectiveness. Just like fallow fields return stronger, so does your brain when it’s given a break.

Mind What Matters to You

• Identify what truly matters to you. Reflect on what’s most important in your personal and professional life. Are you working long hours in a job that doesn’t align with your values? Are you prioritizing the urgent over the important? Taking time to reflect can help you weed out unnecessary business.
• Shift from quantity to quality. Instead of focusing on how much you can get done in a day, think about how well you’re doing it and whether it aligns with your values.

Align Your Time with Your Values

• Say “no” to say “yes.” We spend too much time on things that don’t support our well-being or goals—whether it's gossiping with toxic coworkers or overcommitting to “just for show” meetings and social events. Evaluate which activities are stealing your time and energy. Then, consider replacing them with what truly aligns with your priorities—be it other activities or deep rest.
• Make deliberate time for fallow periods. Block out time to do nothing or enjoy restful, restorative activities like walking in nature, reading for pleasure, or those hobbies you once loved—or always wanted to try. Without the push to always be “on,” your brain will recharge.

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Frame Transition as Detoxing

• Embrace the Emotional Reset: Even positive transitions often stir uncomfortable emotions like fear or uncertainty. Embracing the fallow can be uncomfortable—but so is getting into the water for a refreshing swim, or starting most new things. Resetting your mindset takes time and there are always a few ups and downs. It's the long-term trajectory that matters.
• Embrace the “boredom” of rest. We are used to overstimulation and multitasking, so the “quiet in your head” can be a bit jarring. We may think of it as “boring,” but it is actually just natural. An organic strawberry feels bland and boring after eating sour candy. But it is worth getting used to. Research shows that a bit of boredom supports creative thinking, problem-solving, self-awareness, and self-improvement.

Welcoming the slowing down of fallow periods is a long-term investment in our mental health and well-being. And productivity will follow. Because just like the land, we are most productive when we’ve had time to recover.

So, give yourself permission to go fallow. It's just as good for humans as it is for the fields. Let your brain breathe, rest, and recharge. Trust in the wisdom of nature.

A version of this post also appears in the Best Work for Your Brain newsletter.