You Don’t Need More Rest, You Need Less Stimulation

We all work hard.

We all are entitled to breaks.

For many of us, it’s a little Netflix here, a little Nintendo Switch there, scrolling and scrolling endlessly….

This may seem like it’s idle time. But in reality? What we call “idle time” is actually slowly grilling our nervous systems.

In this post, I will make the case why I believe your body and brain needs a real reset period – probably more than you think.

The Rise of “Fake Rest”

Modern culture is one of constant stimulation and very often, overstimulation.

You can spend your entire life staring at screens, having sound blaring into your ears by headphones, and hearing every single little shred of news from every little corner of the globe.

In addition, modern work and hustle culture pushes the narrative that you need to be gRiNdInG 24/7 if you want to achieve anything of value.

This often involves interacting with again, electronic-based systems that are again, stimulatory in nature.

So in the absence of pushing, pushing, pushing – people believe their nervous systems are really on a downshift since they’re just vegging out on the couch and staring into a screen.

On the contrary, the nervous system is still on a low hum of activity because it has to process the information that it’s receiving from whatever source.

Cal Newport talks about this phenomenon in Digital Minimalism, where he calls it “solitude deprivation”:

“The smartphone provided a new technique to banish these remaining slivers of solitude: the quick glance. At the slightest hint of boredom, you can now surreptitiously glance at any number of apps or mobile-adapted websites that have been optimized to provide you an immediate and satisfying dose of input from other minds.”

It shouldn’t be a surprise that if you find it difficult to be alone, you’ll find it hard to get to know and understand the most important person in the world–yourself.

What We Call “Rest” Is Still Input

Like I mentioned in the intro, how we interact with the modern world is frying our minds.

Dopamine centers are still lit up after a long day’s work. Then you go home and release more dopamine with food, TV, and sex.

The brain never enters a state of stillness. Meaning, you never truly recharge.

Confusion sets in. The brain never got the chance to downshift and reset. Now, its focus is all over the place.

Deeper entrenched in the cycle. You feel tired, worn, out and confused and you can’t put your finger on the cause. To ease your mental panic, you reach for something that will stimulate you and also “calm” you down (or so you think).

This is not rest. This is consumption.

There’s a world of difference between stillness and sedation.

“”Silence is a true friend who never betrays.” – Confucius

Monk Mode as the Hard Reset

If you want to escape this merry-go-round of madness, I don’t suggest another “thing”.

In fact, I suggest removing some “things”. I suggest a period of monk mode.

This is how I recommend structuring it:

Refrain From:

• Social media use – Max 30. mins per day on ALL platforms
• Purposeless Internet browsing
• Junk food and empty calorie food – Sugars, sweets, salty foods
• Sexual gratification of any kind – Complete abstinence if possible
• Alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants
• Intermittent checking of smartphones – In line, when bored, etc.
• Needless conversation for the sake of conversation

Engage In:

• Meditation/mindfulness* – At least 30 minutes/day
• Reading books
• Getting into good physical shape – Cardio, strength training, etc.
• Purposeful and selective isolation** – Conscious withdrawal from social obligations
• Spending deep work sessions on important projects
• Skill-based learning intended to increase standing in life
• Completing backlogged tasks that were constantly pushed to “tomorrow”

The bolded under “refrain from” are those that you absolutely want to stay away from during this period. When you re-engage to a normal mode of life, you will want to limit your involvement with these.

The bolded under “engage in” will help the mind to return to a more focused and self-referential state.

* Meditation/mindfulness is an essential part of monk mode. Meditation is a way to enter the silence of your person and transcend thoughts and feelings, allowing you access to a deeper presence.

** Depending on your flavor of monk mode, you’ll want to scale back your nonessential interactions with friends, family, and acquaintances. You should tell your friends and family members that you’re doing this monk mode challenge and they’ll have more knowledge as to why you don’t seem as up for certain social interactions. Let them know this is only temporary and you plan on getting back into the swing of things after this period is over.

This is not a checklist. This is not a “challenge”. This is a psycho-spiritual refresh intended to help you get focused and reset your system for crystalline clarity.

This is the real “break”.

When you quiet the noise, you can hear your soul speak again.

The 24-Hour Dopamine Reset & Jumpstart Protocol

For some people, monk mode is too much of an ask to make right away.

If you want a taster of the benefits of extended monk mode, I’d recommend a 24-hour “dopamine detox” period involving:

• No phone (except emergencies)
• No texting repeatedly
• No internet browsing
• No screens after sundown
• No sugar, junk, caffeine, porn, music in headphones
• Move your body (walks, stretching, weight lifting)
• Go outdoors, you weren’t designed to stay cooped up inside all day
• Journal twice per day: AM + PM
• Cold shower once per day
• Sit in silence for 20 minutes in the day

This will feel boring and that’s the point. You’ve been addicted to stimulation for years. It’s time to break it.

If you want a deeper dive into this, check out 👉 Dopamine Detox: An Essential Neural Reset for the Modern World

Closing Thoughts

You will need to get uncomfortable if you want to break your loop of dopamine dependency.

You don’t need another “recovery day” of YouTube and high carb snacks. You need REAL rest and REAL recovery.

The 24-hour protocol is how you start. The dopamine detox is the path through. Monk mode is how you finish.

What are your experiences with a period of conscious withdrawal? Post your results below.