What Siesta taught me about Solopreneurship

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One of the great joys of living in Europe is embracing the siesta.

The first time we moved here, in 2022, the siesta seemed lazy, a waste of time, or just plain unproductive - it’s not part of our culture in Australia.

But if you've ever basked in the afternoon sun after a long lunch somewhere in Europe, you know the feeling - warm, full, and just a little sluggish. Your body whispers what locals have known for centuries: rest when you need to.

The Siesta holds an important lesson for all Solopreneurs.

Productivity isn’t about time, it’s about energy.

Think about the best decisions you’ve made in your business. The ideas & innovations that made a real impact. I bet they arrived when you were in flow & energised, not blindly following a schedule.

Robert M. Pirsig’s timeless book Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance provides sage advice to anyone building a business:

"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. 

The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. 

If you become restless, speed up. 

If you become winded, slow down. 

You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion."

I learned this the hard way. As a LinkedIn ghostwriter, I’ve written hundreds of thousands of words for founders, solopreneurs, and CEOs. 

In the early days of my business, I forced myself to write every morning, convinced that discipline alone would unlock brilliance. But most days, I sat at my desk, frustrated. The words wouldn’t come. My brain felt like a car stuck in beach sand - revving hard, but going nowhere.

So I changed my approach.

Instead of forcing myself to write at a set time, I started paying attention to when I felt energised. Mornings became my time for reading, walking, and letting ideas simmer. Most afternoons, inspiration would strike, and I’d sit down to write. By managing my energy instead of forcing a rigid schedule, I got more done with less struggle.

How to Work With Your Energy, Not Against It

Dan Martell, investor, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of Buy Back Your Time, explains it perfectly:

“A lot of people try to manage the stuff they’re doing. But they don’t realise the energy that you bring to your projects, your ideas, your creative stuff, changes the whole output. Manage the energy within your day, not specifically just the tasks.”

Instead of squeezing work into pre-set hours, what if you designed your day around your natural energy rhythms?

Here’s a simple way to start:

1. Track your peak energy hours. For a week, note when you feel most focused, creative, or sluggish. Pay attention to when ideas flow easily versus when work feels like a slog.

2. Experiment with flexible work blocks. Instead of a rigid 9-5, try scheduling deep work in your peak energy periods and low-effort tasks during dips.

3. Test and refine. Productivity isn’t about forcing discipline, it’s about discovering what makes you most effective.

Your Business Doesn’t Need More Time. It Needs Better Energy.

It’s a shift from the Anglo mindset of “keep calm and carry on.” Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is take a break. Let your natural rhythm dictate the pace. Work when your mind is sharp. Rest when your body asks for it.

The Europeans already know this. Now, it’s your turn.

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