Wellbeing Outshines The Grind

We’ve all been there. A long day at work but nothing was delivered. Said the wrong thing at the wrong time, followed by the “Why did I do that?” loop. These moments silently chip away at confidence and make us doubt our worth. Classic impostor syndrome.

You can turn it around with three simple daily rituals. And they’re not about working longer or pushing harder. Quite the opposite, in fact.

But before we get into that, let me share a short story.

The Restless Woodcutter

There once lived a woodcutter in the mountains of Fangshire. Each morning, before sunrise, he was deep in the forest. And long after others left, he was still swinging his axe.

He worked without rest. No breaks, no idle chatter.

His stacks of finely cut wood grew higher each day. The trader, who bought the wood, grew richer from it. He praised him often.

“You’re the finest worker I’ve ever seen,” he’d say. “Keep it up, and you’ll never be without coin.”

The woodcutter beamed with pride. The next day, he pushed himself even harder.

But over time, something changed. The piles grew smaller. The cuts were rougher.

One day, the trader frowned as he looked at the bundle.

“I’ll do better tomorrow,” the woodcutter whispered to himself.

But tomorrow was worse. And the next, even worse. Finally, the trader waved him away.

“You’re not good anymore, I’ve found someone else.”

The woodcutter didn’t go home that day. He sat on a rock by the edge of the forest. Confused. Ashamed. Defeated.

A wise old man was passing by.

“You look troubled, son. What weighs on your heart?” he asked.

The woodcutter sighed. “I was once the best in the mountains. Now I can’t cut half the wood. I work harder than ever, but it’s never enough. What did I do wrong?”

The old man glanced down at him and the axe lying beside him… and asked.

“When was the last time you sharpened your axe, my child?”

Sharpen Your Axe

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” — Abraham Lincoln

We by default assume that achieving more means pushing harder. But hardly care for our physical, mental, and emotional edge — our axe.

Sustainable progress isn’t driven by restless hustle, it’s the outcome of a well-rested self.

Here are the three simple daily rituals that polish your axe. They lay the foundation to turn every effort into progress.

Deep Sleep with Circadian Rhythm

The most powerful and overlooked performance hack is deep sleep.

An internal clock that signals our body when to sleep is called the Circadian Rhythm. It follows the natural light cycle of sunrise and sunset. The ideal sleep window for most adults is 10 PM to 6 AM, which aligns with the rise of the sleep hormone and the deep sleep phase (2 AM to 4 AM).

The deep sleep is where the real magic happens.

Your brain flushes out toxins, resets cognitive load, and turns memories into knowledge. At the same time, your body releases growth hormones that repair tissues, build muscles, and strengthen the immune system. You wake up with laser focus and stronger emotional resilience.

Nature has built the most powerful healing system within you. All it asks is that you sleep well so it can work its magic.

Want to make the most of it?

Keep dinner light and early (3 hours before bed) so your body isn’t busy digesting when it should be healing.
Avoid blue light at night (yes, that includes phones, TVs, and tablets) as it suppresses melatonin, your body’s natural sleep hormone.
Move your body daily (walk, workout, whatever fits your routine) so it wants to power down at night.

I know… I get it. Work follows us everywhere, life has become busy. But the more your sleep overlaps with the natural rhythm, the more it rewards you in well-being.

Remember: the most powerful choice you can make each day is just closing your eyes.

Mindful Meditation with Pranayama

Just a few minutes of commitment a day elevates how you experience life.

Most of our problems don’t stem from the situation itself, but from how we react.

Mindful meditation trains you to observe thoughts without judgment. It creates a mental space between stimulus and response. Instead of reacting, you start to pause, reflect, and choose your response… even in an emotionally charged situation.

In a way, you solve many problems even before they arise. Fewer problems mean more headspace to face them head-on, leading to even fewer.

This is how the cycle of transformation begins.

You now have more energy to make the most out of every moment that otherwise would’ve been lost to chaos.

Pair that with Pranayama (controlled breathing technique), and the body then joins forces with the mind.

Pranayama boosts oxygen flow to the brain and expands lung capacity, enhancing intellect and stabilizing energy throughout the day. Its rhythmic breathing patterns calm the nervous system and reduce cortisol (stress hormone), furtherstrengthening your emotional balance.

Remember: in exchange for just 20 minutes a day, you reduce stress and anxiety, while gaining calm, focus, and resilience… all at once.

Make Space for Intentional Pause

Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to step away.

Paradoxically, the intentional time away from the keyboard boosts your overall output. Not doomscrolling but a consciousbreak that lets you disconnect, zoom out… and then reconnect with a recharged self.

A stroll outside, a cup of coffee by the window, or a chit-chat with someone — takes you away from the task at hand and avoids mental rabbit holes.

Taking a few weeks off to do what you love or be with the people you love — clears the mental fatigue accumulated from the grind.

These pauses refill your mental and emotional reserves. They empower you to tackle the toughest challenges.

And here’s the beautiful part: when your mind steps away from constant doing, your brain activates the Default Mode Network. Your subconscious steps in… and that’s when the “Aha!” moments are born.

A Final Word

Sharper meetings, high-quality deliverables, and deeper impact. You earn the kind of trust that lets you influence what you work on, and how you work.

The kind of trust that gives you a seat at the table… not just for what you do, but for how well you think.

So don’t fear to take the time to sharpen your axe.

In a world that glorifies the grind, prioritizing self-care is a bold move. And you might lose a sprint for that.

But you’ll win the marathon that truly matters.

Author’s Note

This article is part of a series exploring the principles behind a fulfilling tech career. If you find this helpful, consider subscribing to receive future articles straight to your inbox.

You might also enjoy other articles from the series:

Purpose Outranks Prestige: It’s not how far you go. It’s where you’re going.
Visibility Demands More Than Ability: It’s not just what you do. It’s what they see.
Empathy Outperforms Competency: It’s not just about your skill. It’s how you make others feel.