Resting to recharge your mind

1 June 2025

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In today’s fast-paced society, where many of us are constantly on the go, and feel the cumulative toll of constant alerts vying for attention, psychologist Tomas Myklebust offers a refreshing reminder: rest is not an indulgence—it’s a necessity. People: Tomas Myklebust

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Speaking at Ekornes Bua, Myklebust highlighted how both physical and mental rest are crucial for enhancing well-being and boosting productivity. Here he shares his thought-provoking insights, which shed light on why embracing rest is the key to thriving in modern life. And how in all this undoing, we might find ourselves made whole again.

In a world where success is often measured in line with productivity, the idea of downtime can invoke a certain amount of caution, an imposed limitation or something there just isn't time for. What are your thoughts on this?

“Rest isn’t something we do when we have extra time—it’s something we must prioritise,” Myklebust emphasised, likening the brain to a muscle that needs time to recover and recharge. “It’s not when you’re at the gym lifting weights that you get stronger. It’s when you go home and rest that your body repairs itself and builds strength. The same goes for the brain. Rest is not an afterthought but a fundamental building block of success, it’s a foundation for everyday strength.”

What role does technology play in this?

“Technology that was designed to make life easier, has become a double-edged sword. We bombard our brains with information from the moment we wake up until we go to bed,” Myklebust observes. “The technology that was supposed to make our lives simpler now overstimulates us. Constant connectivity and stimulation can erode our ability to process emotions and manage stress. We’re so comfortable that we no longer take the time to feel bored, which makes us worse at handling our emotions,”
Myklebust shared striking research that links technology use to declining IQ levels:
“In Scandinavia, the IQ curve has started to decline, and there’s a direct link between this trend and our reliance on technological tools.”

Can you elaborate on how being bored can help us embrace our emotions?

“Rediscovering the value of boredom could unlock untapped potential in our creativity and emotional well-being. Rather than viewing it as unpleasant we need to redefine it as transformative—it’s a superpower,” he declared. “When we’re bored, the parts of the brain responsible for creativity and problem-solving are activated.

Yet, in today’s distraction-filled world, many people struggle to embrace quiet moments.” Myklebust cited a fascinating study where participants chose to give themselves painful electric shocks rather than sit in silence: “This says a lot about how poor we’ve become at being alone with our thoughts.”

Is mental resilience something we can improve?

“The key to building mental strength, is very similar to how we build physical strength and lies in finding the right balance between activity and rest. Just as elite athletes need recovery to perform at their best, we all need to give our brains space to consolidate and process experiences. It’s in these breaks that we build mental focus and strength.”

Myklebust pointed to research on world-class violinists to illustrate his point:
“Those who performed the best didn’t necessarily practice for more hours but were better at balancing intensive training with proper rest.”

How can we put this into practise?

“By taking charge of your mental space. In an age of constant notifications and quick fixes, we need to reclaim this.” His advice? “Turn off your phone, take time to reflect, and trust your own knowledge instead of defaulting to Google. We’ve become so accustomed to quick answers that we’ve forgotten the value of using our own experience and intuition. Training the brain in this way not only strengthens our mental capacity but can also improve our self-confidence.”

As his lecture concluded, Myklebust left the audience with a powerful takeaway: “We live in a society that never stops. But it’s up to us to find strength in stillness and make rest a part of our everyday lives. When we prioritise rest, we don’t just become stronger—we become better versions of ourselves.”