Burning the candle at both ends? Try this Calm Masterclass

Our latest Calm Masterclass, The Power of Rest, is taught by Alex Pang, visiting scholar at Stanford and author of Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less.

In a world that treats overwork as proof of our productivity while considering the need for rest a weakness, Alex challenges us to look at rest differently. He invites us to treat "work and rest as partners, not competitors" and emphasizes that "neither can succeed on its own."

The science backs him up and shows that when we balance work with rest we are more productive, effective, and happy. History also corroborates that rest was the secret to success for many Nobel prize-winning scientists, elite athletes, bestselling authors, top naval officers, and neurosurgeons.

“While we usually think of rest as something passive,” Alex points out, "the most restorative kinds of rest are actually active. Things like exercise or engaging hobbies do more for you than sitting on the couch and staring at screens.”

The Power of Rest explores why overwork is overrated and how to use rest skillfully — to make it more rejuvenating, stimulate creativity, and improve your quality of life.

Alex breaks his Calm Masterclass down into four digestible lessons:

• The History of Overwork

• The Science of Rest

• Notable People who Value Rest

• The 10 Commandments of Rest (practical tools that you can start using today)

About Calm Masterclass

Calm Masterclasses are our new monthly series of life-changing audio classes delivered by world-renowned experts. They are also the biggest new addition to Calm’s ever-growing library of content since the launch of Sleep Stories a little over a year ago, or since Calm was recently named Apple’s App of the Year. 

About Alex Pang

Alex studies people, technology, and the worlds they make.

He's the author of Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less and The  Distraction Addiction. 

He has a Ph.D. in History and Sociology of Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

He's living in Silicon Valley, California.