Here are my weekend plans: lie in a hammock with a paperback, eat a summer tomato like an apple, go for an aimless walk. No emails, no coaching calls, no to-do lists, as little screen time as I can get away with. Just rest.

What I’ve learned is this: rest is not a luxury. It’s a discipline.

Sports science has been clear on this for decades. Athletes don’t get stronger in the middle of a workout. They get stronger during recovery. Muscles repair, energy systems recalibrate, the nervous system resets. Without recovery, training is just wear and tear. With recovery, training becomes growth.

The same is true in your business. If you keep grinding without pause, you’re not building endurance. You’re just draining reserves. Rest is what allows you to come back sharper, faster, clearer.

So in these final weeks of summer, give yourself permission to step back. Read something that has nothing to do with real estate. Take a nap in the middle of the day. Walk barefoot on the grass. Let your mind drift.

Coaching Corner: The Science of Recovery

Research shows that muscle fibers actually grow 24 to 48 hours after training, not during the workout itself. The same principle applies to the brain: studies show rest improves focus, memory, and emotional resilience. Agents who honor recovery are the ones who enter the fall market not just present, but powerful.

So if you need a sign to slow down before the sprint ahead, this is it. Take the hammock, take the tomato, take the nap. Rest is not time wasted. It’s fuel.