Pretending to work is still tiring. You’re just getting nothing for it.

Half-working is the worst deal on offer. You pay most of the cost, since sitting in front of an open book with your mind elsewhere drains you nearly as much, and you get almost no output in exchange. The hour is gone either way. What varies is whether you have anything to show for it, including a clear conscience about resting afterwards.

Try picking one or the other for the next hour: real work with the phone in another room, or real rest with the books shut. Do twenty-five honest minutes, then stop and do nothing without guilt.