Are You Rested?

How do you rest?

Photo by Dan Burton on Unsplash

When was the last time you felt rested? What do you do in your daily and weekly life that feels like rest? 

Rest and busyness:

We can’t talk about rest without discussing busyness. Why do we wear busyness proudly like a badge?People seem to love saying how busy they are. Do we say it to make us feel important or valuable? Does busyness show our level of success? Is it some sort of status symbol to look and sound busy? If so, then how do we find the rest that we need and desire? How do we begin to value rest?

What is rest?

Claudia Hammond, author of The Art of Rest, How to Find Respite in the Modern Age,  defines rest as wakeful rest: an activity that leaves you feeling restored and revitalized.. Rest is not sleep but rather a wakeful activity.

Hammond further defines rest as an activity that…

• distracts you from concerns, 
• allows your mind to slow down, 
• gives you a break from other people, 
• and is guilt free

The guilt free part is the one I struggle with the most. When I left full time work in schools and started my business working remotely, my schedule became my own and I found this quite difficult when it came to restful activities. If I watched TV, I felt quite guilty. I felt like I was doing something I shouldn’t be doing even when it was a short TV break. Now, I find that watching a show with family members or taking a quick break to watch a show is quite enjoyable and distracting. It fills me up. Now, if I watch too much at once or watch poor quality TV, then I do not walk away rested or filled in a positive way.

Why does rest matter?

Rest is not a luxury but a necessity for optimal health and well-being in the modern world.

Auckland Physiotherapy, The Importance of Rest

In a podcast with Dan Harris, Harris and Hammond discuss the science of why rest matters. They state that fatigue, the opposite of rest, leads to memory lapses, blunted emotions, accidents, arguments, misjudgements, and more.  Scientific studies show there are many benefits to rest. 

• Lower blood pressure
• Lower heart rate
• Boost concentration
• Increase resilience

What brings me rest?

As an introvert, I appreciate restful activities that give me a break from others. I enjoy reading, walking, mindful meditation, and cooking. I find these to be engaging and distracting from my busy mind. These activities also slow me down and I feel guilt free doing these activities. I especially enjoy walking. I get exercise, am out in nature, and I often listen to music or a story that helps my mind wander.

Micro Breaks

Hammond states that even a small micro break of a few seconds or minutes will benefit us. Micro breaks help us avoid some of the pitfalls of fatigue and can ultimately lead to better productivity in the work place and more importantly higher levels of well being.

Possible micro breaks: a fast reset that provides rest:

• Get a drink of water
• Doodling
• Day dreaming (not ruminating or worrying), wondering about the world
• Quick walk around

It is important to mention that we do not all get to control our daily schedule. That’s why these micro breaks can be quite helpful. When I was a busy full time working mom of young children, even a few extra minutes in a hot shower or a few minutes folding laundry while listening to music or watching a show helped restore a bit of rest for me. These activities may not sound very luxurious but they distracted me from my daily worries and gave me a bit of time alone.

How do you find wakeful rest in your life?

Maybe take some time to audit what activities you engage in and hold them up to the qualities of a truly restful activity. What works for you: distracts you, allows your mind to slow down, gives you a break from others, and is guilt free? I am going to keep reflecting and experimenting with this idea of rest for my own wellbeing. I will continue to practice and  observe. I feel that just knowing it’s good for my well being is helpful too and just may reduce the guilt!