the Reitoff principle.

This past Saturday, I tried something called The Reitoff Principle.

It's an idea coined by Ali Abdaal and the rule is simple: When a day feels off, instead of forcing yourself through it, you write it off (Reit-it-off). You stop trying to salvage productivity and just accept that today isn’t the day.

So I did exactly that. I built LEGO. I made coffee. I played a new videogame (Digimon Story: Time Strangers for anyone curious). It was mainly a day where I refused to check my emails, refused to go back to my to-do list and for once, I didn’t try to make the day mean something.

But funnily enough... that’s what made it valuable.

By Sunday, I felt lighter, calmer, and a little more human. It reminded me that sometimes rest doesn’t need to be earned, it just needs to be allowed. The world doesn’t fall apart when you step away, especially when it is just for 24 hours.

We treat rest like a luxury when it’s really maintenance. Writing a day off isn’t giving up or being lazy, it’s giving your mind space to breathe again.

This Week’s Thought:
Maybe the goal isn’t to be “on it” every single day.
Maybe the secret is knowing when to call it, close the laptop, and let yourself have a Reitoff day.

See you next Sunday,
Arteri