Resting and Progressing: This Year I’m Choosing Progress Over Productivity and Balance Over Busy… Unapologetically

Jan 6

2026 is my year of Resting and Progressing, and let me tell you, nobody is more excited about it than me! I’ve built a career, a business, and a platform on empowering high-achieving professionals to step out of “superhuman mode” and into honoring their capacity by permitting themselves to rest. I will continue to do the same.

For the majority of 2025, when I asked myself, “Shayla, are you resting while you’re producing?” the answer was a solid, “yes!” But in the last quarter of 2025, the answer was “no.” I found myself entering November with a booked calendar and no free weekends until 2026. I started 2025 strong, but ended it in a whirlwind.

But guess what? I’m not stressing it! When we rest and progress, we also must recognize that there will be busy seasons where balance may be questionable and pacing may be relative. This is a normal and natural experience. To believe anything else is unrealistic.

So what do we do when this happens? We reset! Resetting means acknowledging the concern, expressing gratitude for the awareness, and striving to do things differently.

This year, I’m resetting and recalibrating by focusing on a different kind of productivity; one rooted in intention, and not exhaustion. 2026 will be a year where “booked and balanced” replaces “booked and busy,” where progress is measured by alignment, not adrenaline, and where rest isn’t a reward after burnout but the foundation for everything I build.

In this week’s blog, I’m going to share what “Resting and Progressing” means for me, and how I plan to prioritize it all year long.

Well-Rested Black Woman

Have you heard of Well Read Black Girl? Well, the story I am telling is of a Well-Rested Black Woman. Me!

As “The Rest Dr,” you’d think I would’ve mastered rest by now. But baby, listen. Teaching rest is one thing; living it deeply is another. I believe that living requires learning, and there is always more to learn. I live rest deeply so I can teach it, which is why I have learned that rest sometimes (or oftentimes) can be a challenge.

Between not knowing how to rest, not feeling rested, and doubting that resting even makes a difference, rest can be hard. When my calendar is full of keynote presentations, professional development workshops, and private consultations (not to mention my full-time employment responsibilities), rest can feel like a suggestion instead of a practice.

This year, I’m changing that.

Don’t get me wrong, since I began my rest journey in January 2022, I have come a long way. I no longer cringe when someone tells me to rest or engage in self-care. In fact, I’ve gotten so good at resting that when people ask me what I’ve done for self-care, I try not to roll my eyes! But even though I view rest as part of my value-driven lifestyle, “life still be lifin’” and busy seasons still occur.

I already shared with you that the last quarter of 2025 got away from me. I effectively paced myself all year long, but by October, I told myself I wasn’t going to start thinking about November until November.

That’s where I went wrong.

In the last week of October, I realized that every weekend in November was booked with some activity, responsibility, or event that would be hard to get out of. The weeks were full, and the end-of-semester responsibilities would be in full force, not to mention the holiday season was on the horizon, which is a whole thing in and of itself!

I did what any rational person would do: I looked to December for some reprieve.

“Booked!” (That’s what my calendar shouted at me).

Between final grading, holiday festivities, travel, and familial birthday celebrations, I knew there would be little time for me to work on work tasks like spring semester prep, developing more CE courses, and submitting my articles for publication. I was definitely disappointed, but I told myself that this well-rested Black woman would honor her commitments and figure out work things later. Everything will get done by the time it needs to get done without me sacrificing my rest. My priority was to pace myself, not pressure myself. So yes, you got it: I was already living progress over productivity.

Why Progress Is My New Version of Productivity

This year, I’m choosing progress over productivity because somewhere, somehow, I started to feel like “productivity” became an unsuspected cover for urgency culture. When I told myself to “be productive,” it was code for “do more with less” (i.e., less sleep, less energy, less time, less focus, less, less, less…). Don't pause, don’t question, don’t complain, and don’t quit until it’s done.

Productivity, for me, became synonymous with the hustle mentality, but I don’t align with hustle mentality anymore. I no longer enjoy living in a constant state of rushing, performing, and proving. Progress, on the other hand, feels like a breath of fresh air. (*Inhale… exhale…*) It feels natural, normal, and healthy.

Progress still moves me forward and, by definition, it is productive. Progress honors my pace, capacity, and well-being. Progress doesn’t demand that I empty myself in the name of achievement, but it instead asks me to be mindful, intentional, and present. Here’s how I’m clearly reframing the two:

Productivity says:

“Do more.”
“Do it now.”
“Don’t stop.”
“Your worth is in your output.”

Progress says:

“Move with purpose.”
“Move with clarity.”
“Move with rest in mind.”
“Your worth is inherent, and your pace is valid.”

Productivity is about urgency, while progress centers alignment. Productivity is a push while progress is a partner.

So yes, progress is productive. But it’s the kind of productivity that allows room for breadth, depth, boundaries, and joy. Progress provides room for you to actually enjoy the life you’re building as you build it. In 2026, I’m choosing progress because I deserve it, and so do you.

Booked and Balanced: The Lifestyle I’m Committing To

Please don’t get me wrong, I LOVE being booked! (This is my shameless plug to go check out my speaker page to bring me to an event near you!)

Booked means people trust my expertise. Booked means organizations are prioritizing mental health. Booked means my workshops, speaking engagements, and CE courses are doing the work they were designed to do.

But busy? Busy is chaotic. Busy is unintentional. Busy is the cousin of burnout who always shows up uninvited.

While I may have busy moments, I do not want a busy lifestyle. So in 2026, being Booked and Balanced looks like:

Saying yes to aligned opportunities, not everything that crosses my inbox.
Building margin into my schedule instead of squeezing work into every open minute.
Creating systems in my business that support me, not drain me.
Focusing on what works and letting go of what doesn’t (even if the blogs say otherwise)
Choosing restoration over reputation and capacity over comparison.

I am building (and enjoying) a life and business that’s sustainable; one that allows me to show up as my full self, rested, present, vibrant, and grounded. That’s the version of me that delivers transformational keynotes. That’s the version that develops impactful CE courses for social workers. That’s the version that teaches, leads, and pours into others without emptying herself. That’s the version I’m committed to being in 2026.

Call to Action: What Does Resting and Progressing Look Like for You?

I’m claiming Resting and Progressing as my theme for 2026, and I would love for it to become a movement for all of us who are tired of trading rest for results.

So tell me, what would it look like for you to rest without guilt and progress without burnout?

If you’re ready to build a life that is booked, balanced, and deeply aligned, stay connected by subscribing to my quarterly email below. Explore my CE courses, consider bringing me in for a workshop or keynote, or simply follow along as I live this out in real time (@iamshaylawalker on TikTok and Instagram).

Your life deserves more than productivity. Your purpose deserves more than exhaustion. And you deserve more than being busy.

FAQ: Resting and Progressing in 2026

1. What does “Resting and Progressing” mean?

Resting and Progressing is the intentional practice of pursuing your goals without sacrificing your well-being. It’s a commitment to sustainable productivity, alignment, and rest as a core value.

2. Is this theme only for entrepreneurs?

Not at all! Whether you’re a social worker, executive, caretaker, educator, or student, Resting and Progressing can support you in creating healthier rhythms and boundaries.

3. How does “Booked and Balanced” fit into this?

Booked and Balanced is the lifestyle version of Resting and Progressing. It’s choosing aligned opportunities without overloading your schedule or draining your capacity.

4. How can I start living this theme?

Start with one question: What is draining me unnecessarily? Prioritizing saying yes to the requirements and no to the options that drain you. Really reflect on how many of your responsibilities are nonnegotiables and which ones simply feel like nonnegotiables because it’s the way it’s always been. Decide what you want to keep and what you want to delegate or remove. When you’re ready, replace the burdens with restorative practices. (I talk about several restorative practices in previous blog posts. Give them a read to explore your options.) And remember, no change is too small; small shifts lead to big change.

5. Where can I learn more about rest, burnout prevention, and sustainable success?

You can explore my ASWB-approved continuing education courses, my workshops on workplace wellbeing, or book me for a keynote on rest, boundaries, value-driven decision making, and mental health.

Shayla Walker