Meaning

Lamott draws a quiet parallel between the way we troubleshoot technology and the way we might treat ourselves. When a device freezes or behaves erratically, the simplest and often most effective fix is to disconnect it and give it a moment of stillness. She is suggesting that human beings are not so different. Rest, disconnection, and a genuine pause can restore a person's clarity and function in ways that pushing through simply cannot.

Why it resonates

The image of unplugging a device is so familiar that it lands immediately. Everyone has experienced the small miracle of a frozen screen coming back to life after a restart, and recognizing that the same logic might apply to people feels both funny and strangely comforting. The quote also validates the idea that struggling or feeling stuck is not always a character flaw requiring more effort. Sometimes the problem is accumulation and overload, and the solution is subtraction rather than addition.

How to use it

This line is especially useful when someone is exhausted, scattered, or resistant to the idea of taking a break. It makes the case for rest without any hint of lecture or self-help earnestness. Share it with a friend who is burning out, use it as a caption for a photo of a vacation or a slow morning, or keep it in mind the next time you feel like pushing through when your body and mind are asking you to stop. Its lightness is part of its power.