Much as we might pretend that we don’t, we all need rest. But rest doesn’t just mean sleep, and sometimes things that we think of as “restful” because we do them when we take a break from work, like scrolling on social media or binge watching a show, are not actually rejuvenating in the way that rest should be.
In the last article, I explored why we rest, and in this article I will look at a few key elements of rest that can help us consider how to have more rest in our lives.
Active Rest
Sometimes we think of rest as “doing nothing.” But while I agree that rest should not be an exerting activity, you can rest without lying on the couch!
Think about resting different parts of yourself at different times. Is your brain tired? Going for a walk might actually be a restful activity, even though it requires physical activity. Is it your body that is overly tired but your mind is raring to go? Maybe consider watching or listening to a lecture on a topic you’ve wanted to learn more about. These activities can be rejuvenating as well as restful. In stimulating areas of your brain that might not get used during your work, they can provide you will well-rounded activities that help you feel ready to step back into work afterwards.
Social Rest/ Solo Rest
Rest also does not have to be a solitary activity. Especially as an extrovert myself, I often feel rejuvenated after meeting up with a good friend. Or even watching a movie with company can be a more fulfilling experience than watching it alone.
It is good to step away from the world and have time to yourself. But sometimes it’s also good to rest in community and use that time for connection instead of isolation.
We need rest, but resting doesn’t have to mean lying around. Find activities that feel not only restful to you, but rejuvenating as well. When we default to activities that fall in the “lazy” category of resting, we might not feel ready to step back into work afterwards because they will have numbed our brain instead of rejuvenating it. It will look different for every person, but think about things that you like to do–a craft, practicing a musical instrument, a sport, cooking, etc–that will be restful to you and prioritize making time for them in your every day life.
Gracie McBride is the Content and Systems Development Coordinator at The Crossroad.
