Why Rest Is as Important as Productivity
"The most important thing wasn’t taking care of all the little tasks. It was rest—because I had big decisions to make."
- Dan Rochon
Episode Summary
Working as a real estate agent can be incredibly rewarding. You get to build relationships, help people with life-changing decisions, and create a business that supports your lifestyle. But it can also feel exhausting. The constant cycle of calls, emails, follow-ups, and showings often leaves little room for you to breathe.
Here’s the problem: when we’re caught up in doing everything, we forget that sometimes the most important thing we can do is nothing.
Rest isn’t wasted time. Rest is part of productivity.
What Eisenhower Can Teach Real Estate Agents
I recently came across a powerful story about General Dwight Eisenhower—before he was President, when he was leading the Allied forces during World War II.
On the eve of D-Day, Eisenhower faced one of the most critical decisions in history. His generals and admirals couldn’t agree on whether to proceed. The weather was unstable, the timing was risky, and the pressure was unlike anything most of us could imagine.
Eisenhower made the final call to move forward. And then?
He played board games.
He took a nap.
Why would he do that when the world was literally waiting on his decision?
Because he understood this: when the biggest challenges are in front of you, your greatest asset isn’t busyness—it’s clarity, energy, and focus.
The Eisenhower Matrix
That story led me to dig deeper into how Eisenhower approached decision-making. One of his lasting contributions is what’s known as the Eisenhower Urgent/Important Matrix.
This framework helps you sort tasks into four categories:
Urgent + Important → Do it
Not Urgent + Important → Schedule it
Urgent + Not Important → Delegate it
Not Urgent + Not Important → Delete it
When you start thinking this way, you stop chasing every little task that clutters your day. Instead, you invest your time and energy into what truly matters—and free yourself from what doesn’t.
What This Means for You
As a real estate agent, you already know how easy it is to get stuck in the grind. But if Eisenhower could step away to rest on the day of D-Day, maybe you can step away from your phone for a moment too.
The real question isn’t, “What else can I squeeze into my day?”
It’s, “What’s the most important thing for me to do right now?”
And sometimes, the answer isn’t another task.
Sometimes, the answer is rest.
