September 28, 2025

Can We Stoics Take A Day Off?

11 minutes

In this episode I tackle a question that every practicing Stoic has probably wrestled with: can we ever take a day off from Stoicism? If the pursuit of virtue is supposed to shape every moment of our lives, does that mean we must always be vigilant, never resting? I explore what the ancient texts say, how the ancients themselves surely stumbled, and why purposeful rest isn’t a betrayal of Stoic practice but part of sustaining it.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

— While Epictetus and Marcus urge vigilance, they also admit we’ll falter — and the key is always to return to the path.

— Rest is not an escape from virtue but a way of preserving our rational faculty so we can act justly, wisely, and with courage.

— Burnout undermines Stoic practice; deliberate rest strengthens it.

— The ancients weren’t sages, and neither are we — taking breaks is part of the human condition and consistent with Stoic growth.

— If you nap beside the Stoic path, the path will still be there in the morning.

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Thanks for listening and have a great day!

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