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Going back to basics: Why rest is important?

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Instead of asking, 'Have I worked hard enough to rest?' ask, 'Have I rested enough to do my most meaningful work?' 
Nicole Jane Hobbs

This quote changed how I viewed rest. I used to bargain how much rest I deserved based on the quantity of work I had done. But after giving it my all in one project, I find myself needing a long rest to recuperate. Oftentimes, I feel like I need more rest than the little window I had allotted myself.
And there is a reason for pushing myself back on the track again. Piling messages, pending projects, upcoming deadlines, and disturbing realities to escape.
But I have learned that the outside world won't stop because I need it to slow down. I will have to step back. This means drawing some boundaries: not scrolling LinkedIn in my free time and saying no to a couple of projects I don't think I have the mental capacity to deal with anymore.
Making boundaries is still quite tricky for me though. If I say no to this project, will I regret this later?
But okay let's take another approach:
Why am I committing to this project? Well, it could help me earn a bit, doing something I rather like, making slides.

Okay, well, if the project is not too time-consuming and is easy to do, perhaps I can do it. But then again, the boundaries come with how and when I do it. I will not do it when I feel like I need a much-deserved rest.
For the upcoming deadlines for colleges, becoming more stressed will not really help. If I don't think I have the capacity to be creative right now, then I don't. And I know exactly why I don't. Last week, I wrapped up a team project for BenchSci which took a lot of my energy.
But the problem is that it also threw me off track from SAT Prep and College Apps. 
But that was a decision that was worth it because I learned so much about AI and delivered a high-standards deck. 
I guess you have to pay a small price for everything. And committing to that project means I need more time to regain my creative capacities.

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