Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and Life

Courtney Carver on Gentle Rest: How to Stress Less and Live the Life You Want


Listen Later

In this episode, Courtney Carver, author of Rest More, Stress Less: How to Live the Life You Actually Want, shares her transformative approach to prioritizing rest and reducing stress. Courtney, a simplicity and decluttering expert, discusses how rest is not just a reward but a necessity for productivity, creativity, and overall well-being.


In this conversation, we explore:

• The Importance of Rest: Courtney explains why rest should be prioritized, not as a reward, but as an essential part of life and work. She discusses how our productivity and creativity improve when we take time to rest.

• The Three Seasons of Gentle: We dive into the book’s three-part structure: Rest, Less, and Rise. Courtney explains why rest is the foundation that allows us to simplify our lives, reduce stress, and ultimately rise into the life we truly want.

• Breaking Free from the Busyness Trap: Courtney reveals how our society’s overemphasis on constant productivity can lead to burnout, and how intentionally doing less can lead to more meaningful results.

• The Power of Decluttering: We discuss how simplifying our physical environment by letting go of excess stuff can ease mental clutter and reduce decision fatigue, making space for more peace and joy.

• Energy Management and Chronic Illness: Courtney shares her personal experience managing multiple sclerosis and how counting “spoons”—a way to measure limited energy—can help in making mindful choices about how we use our time and energy.


Courtney’s approach to living with less, embracing rest, and prioritizing what truly matters offers practical solutions for anyone feeling overwhelmed or burnt out. Her insights provide a roadmap for living a life with more meaning, purpose, and peace.


Learn more about Courtney and her work at bemorewithless.com, and find Rest More, Stress Less wherever books are sold.


Connect with Erik:

  • LinkedIn 
  • Facebook 
  • Bluesky

  • This Podcast is Powered By:

    • Descript
    • Descript 101
    • Castmagic
    • Ecamm
    • Podpage
    • Rodecaster Pro
    • Top Productivity Books List
    • Make sure to support the show by checking out the sponsors!

      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and LifeBy Erik Fisher

      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5

      4.5

      826 ratings


      More shows like Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and Life

      View all
      Modern Mentor by QuickAndDirtyTips.com

      Modern Mentor

      693 Listeners

      Coaching for Leaders by Dave Stachowiak

      Coaching for Leaders

      1,460 Listeners

      The 5 AM Miracle: Healthy Productivity for High Achievers by Jeff Sanders

      The 5 AM Miracle: Healthy Productivity for High Achievers

      727 Listeners

      The Productive Woman by Laura McClellan

      The Productive Woman

      474 Listeners

      Organize 365 Podcast by Lisa Woodruff

      Organize 365 Podcast

      1,305 Listeners

      The Productivity Show by Asian Efficiency

      The Productivity Show

      506 Listeners

      Getting Things Done by GTD®

      Getting Things Done

      454 Listeners

      How to Be Awesome at Your Job by How to be Awesome at Your Job

      How to Be Awesome at Your Job

      1,036 Listeners

      It's The ADHD-Friendly Show | Personal Growth, Well-being and Productivity for Distractible Minds by Caren Magill

      It's The ADHD-Friendly Show | Personal Growth, Well-being and Productivity for Distractible Minds

      98 Listeners

      This Organized Life: Decluttering Tips for Moms, Entrepreneurs and Professional Organizers by Laurie Palau

      This Organized Life: Decluttering Tips for Moms, Entrepreneurs and Professional Organizers

      279 Listeners

      The Modern Manager by Mamie Kanfer Stewart

      The Modern Manager

      189 Listeners

      It's About Time | Time Management & Productivity for Work Life & Balance by Anna Dearmon Kornick

      It's About Time | Time Management & Productivity for Work Life & Balance

      225 Listeners

      Best Laid Plans by Sarah Hart-Unger

      Best Laid Plans

      744 Listeners

      Coaching Real Leaders by Harvard Business Review / Muriel Wilkins

      Coaching Real Leaders

      637 Listeners

      HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

      HBR On Leadership

      152 Listeners