Why rest is so important
In a world where we push ourselves until we’re burnt out and exhausted, to taking the time to rest but often feeling guilty for not being productive I felt it was important to touch on why rest is so beneficial for us. When our body is deprived of sleep, it is unable to rebuild and recharge itself adequately.
Have you ever felt like you can't keep up with your daily tasks, but continue to push through? There’s always going to be a never ending list in your mind of things you need to do. No matter what your schedule or task list may look like, rest is vital to your long-term health. There’s the saying:
“Sometimes the most productive thing you can do for yourself is rest.”
Our body is built to thrive in a series of short sprints. This is why taking a break—even only for a few minutes—can offer you the refresh you need to get you through your day. Whilst I believe it is so important to stay motivated and work hard to achieve your goals, this can sometimes manifest into a mindset that resting, or taking time to do nothing, is lazy or unproductive.
Resting allows our mind to open up to new possibilities and it holds space to reflect, process and discover new things about ourselves.
Everyone switches off and finds joy and peace in different ways. Whatever you find peace and joy in, do it, and do it often. Sometimes we crave physical rest, emotional rest, or even social rest.
I believe it’s essential to take dedicated rest days in which entire days are planned in such a way to take care of ourselves. One thing lockdown taught me is it’s ok to not be productive, it’s ok to just get by everyday and work on yourself. This could be as little as setting up a morning routine or taking 5 minutes to meditate. It’s important to take each day as it comes and check in with how your feeling.
The next time you feel guilty for not ‘striving’ or ‘achieving’ what you think you need to, reframe that. As long as you show up for yourself everyday and you stay in tune with your heart, your mind will thank you.
It’s also good to be aware of how to avoid becoming burnt out. By taking a break from work or whatever is causing you stress, whether it’s just for ten minutes, this will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It’s important to set yourself boundaries. This can be challenging for some, particularly if you’re a people pleaser. In order to set boundaries, you need to sit down and assess your current commitments. From there you can work out what’s a high priority versus a low priority. If your plate is full, focus on the more important tasks and let others know that your less important tasks have a new deadline to give yourself more time.
When we start to feel burnt out we often don’t perform at our best when were at work. Time away from work helps you switch off and improve your work-life balance. Prioritising a long weekend or vacation does wonders for your mental health. As summer fast approaches and we come out of winter hibernation, our social calendars start to fill up and work tends to be busier. Which means it’s a lot easier to overcommit to things. Remember to take some time for yourself during this busy season and know that rest is important in order to show up for every aspect of our life.
Here’s some ways I like to switch off and reset:
Set boundaries with social media and take the time to switch off
Feel grounded in nature - go for a swim, lay on the grass, read a book
Catch up on sleep
Take yourself out for lunch
Have a bath
Journal
Spend time with your family
