Slowing Down to Speed Up: the Art of Resting
Why incorporating rest is a lifestyle - not a luxury
The modern world can be a bit of a nightmare to navigate. We’re constantly bombarded with stuff to do, places to go to, people to meet, and deadlines we simply must get through. The world is constantly saying go go go, and it's becoming ever more challenging to keep yourself afloat amidst it all.
Could it be your time to slow down?
It’s become so normal to see and perceive feelings of exhaustion and burnout as badges of success. Whilst it’s true that we do need to work hard for the things that we want to achieve, and there will be periods were it is necessary for us to overextend ourselves, it should never be something we strive to normalise.
Rest has many benefits to our personal growth, wellness and happiness. As someone who has, for the majority of their life, occupied spaces which glorified burnout, overextension and ‘going the distance’, I’m still trying to overcome some of the long-term effects of chronic overworking. I’m still trying to re-wire my brain to be kind to myself, and honour the signs that my body shares with me when it is time to take it easy.
Contrary to your typical first-day-of-the-month mantra to go, go, go - here’s your reminder that with every encouragement to get going, must be received with the reminder to rest.
Key Summary (TL/DR):
The art of resting
No rest, no rewards: the risk of a no-rest lifestyle
Living a life of rest
The art of resting
Resting is an art. It’s an opportunity for your mind, body and soul to take a pause and repair itself. In fact, there’s a whole bunch of benefits that comes with allowing yourself time and space to rest:
Healing from pain and trauma: Having dedicated time to rest gives you the opportunity to heal from any pain or trauma from your past, or present, experiences. It gives you time to process, and focus on actionable ways to overcome the negative impact these experiences may have had on you.
Reduces stress: Chronic overworking, overtraining and overextension can lead to an increase in cortisol levels in the body. Resting presents your body with the opportunity to return to a place of homeostasis, and prioritise the reduction of stress.
Things grow at rest: Whether it be muscle tissue, new skin cells, a more balanced perspective, or mental clarity - positive things you need to function, grow when you’re at rest.
Boosts creativity and productivity: It’s so much easier to think, reflect, and create when you’re not always under an immense amount of stress and pressure. Resting can boost your creativity and ultimately, your productivity.
No rest, no rewards: the risk of a no-rest lifestyle
You won’t win any awards from refusing to rest. I know it makes for a great addition to the ‘self-made, hard worker’ narrative but sometimes the means does not justify the end.
I’ve spent many long days depriving myself of rest in my lifetime. In the midst of both my undergraduate and master’s degrees, there were days I would put in 12-14 hours worth of work just to feel as though I was somehow ‘prepared’ for my classes and exams. When I started working in the tech start-up scene, and even as I began to develop my own communities and entrepreneurial pursuits, the same thing was the case.
Even physically, I used to workout for 2-3 hours each day, 6 days a week for a period of 6 months. Now, I limit myself to 45 - 60 minutes of exercise per session, maximum.
It led to periods of depression, unhappiness, physical exhaustion, chronically elevated levels of stress, and many more nasty side effects. Neglecting rest has a whole bunch of consequences:
Burnout is a bummer: Refusing to have designated periods of rest can lead to extreme feelings of burnout and fatigue.
Deprivation and lack of proper healing: Denying yourself of rest can lead to delayed healing. If you’re a chronic exercises for instance, short or no rest periods prevents your body from getting the recovery needed to improve your performance and body composition. This concept translates over to other areas in your life too.
Prone to addictive behaviours and coping mechanisms: If you don’t take rest, you are at an increased risk of finding some other coping mechanism to release the building tension and stress.
Living a life of rest
“Wisdom is knowing when to have rest, when to have activity, and how much of each to have.” — Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Now for the million dollar question. How do you practically go about incorporating rest into your life?
Take short breaks throughout the day: Set intentional breaks in your calendar, or a timer, to remind yourself to step away from whatever work you are doing. Go for a walk, unplug, meditate, or simply focus on…existing.
Take days off to rest: There’s nothing like having a full day off to lounge around, binge watch television, or hang out with a loved one. Rather than work throughout the entire week, try to take at least one day off to focus on some much needed rest and recovery.
Prioritise good sleep hygiene: According to the National Sleep Foundation, healthy adults require 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Try to prioritise getting these hours in, unplug from work a few hours before bedtime, and ensure your blinds are closed before you hit the sack.
Implement social boundaries: As great as it is to spend time with people you love, it can be incredibly taxing and require lots of energy. Be honest with your friends and say no to invitations which cause you anxiety, or switch to a call or video call instead.
There are a wealth of ways that you can get the rest you need, and these are simply a select few. Do you want to know my wish for you this August?
That you find, and benefit from, intentional periods of rest and recovery to help you be at your best.
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That’s all from me this week folks. As ever, if you found this useful, feel free to share Optimise Me with a friend.
Let’s all become better humans.
-RK
Extra Resources
Audio:
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Book:
The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in the Modern Age - Claudia Hammond