By Kelehi Udoagwu
“Slowing down does not indicate that you are giving up. It simply means that your soul is seeking some well-earned recharge.”
― Christine Szymanski
The world has gone through many difficulties this year. By simply being a citizen of any country, you’re likely to have felt grief hit close to home.
As responsible adults, we must continue to show up, keep commitments, and handle our business. What’s more, we’re expected to innovate at work and hold it all together at home.
“A global pandemic? That’s no excuse.”
In a culture that loudly praises speed and achievement, it may seem revolutionary to slow down, rest, or move at your own pace, but it is necessary for good health and many other reasons.
Our bodies and minds adapt and get stronger in adversity, but they have their limits and don’t make any announcements before grinding to a halt in protest.
So let’s do a quick check:
#1. Have you had one day of rest this week?
#2. When was the last time you had nothing scheduled for one hour?
#3. Do you feel guilty every time you have a free moment?
Rest is a simple act of kindness that we can show to ourselves to maintain health and gain perspective and strength. As the year moves to the last quarter and events continue to unfold, here are a few ways to show kindness to yourself through rest.
Deliberately schedule in time.
Your schedule may be bonkers with the new work-from-home lifestyle and kids and spouse and pets all in the house at the same time, but something has to give.
Taking rest may seem sinful, but the work will still be there when you wake up. It’s essential to slot in rest times in your schedule, and honor them, just like you do for other necessary appointments.
Lay down the guilt.
The way some of us talk to ourselves is unacceptable. We judge every misstep and ignore the things we did right.
The other day I noticed I was sad about how far I’ve gone with my business goals that I had overlooked how consistent I’ve been with my physical activity and exercise goals this year.
When we feel bad about certain things, we should always remember that there are other parts of our lives running precisely and fabulously on time, and we can appreciate those instead.
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Believe the compliments you receive.
We easily believe critical things people say to us, but forget the nice words quickly.
“You are so brave.”
“Thank you; that was nothing.”
But when we receive negative feedback, we vividly imagine the disdain that accompanies the words.
Mindful rest can help our minds accept positive feedback as well as negative, and realize that we are always improving and learning.
Avoid burnout before it hits.
Last week in an online community I am a part of, a member shared how close she was to burnout and admitted that she felt unable to do anything adequately.
Even as she shared this pain, her primary concern was that things have been crazy at work due to the pandemic, and she didn’t feel she was giving her best.
Most of us are in a similar state: aware that we need time to recharge but unable to see a way to make it happen. The group advised her to take a week off and visit her parents like she said she wanted to. And yesterday she shared happy pictures with her mum. She says she feels better already.
Benefits of deliberate rest.
Depending on our positions in life or roles at work, we can’t always take long periods of time off, but we can schedule some form of rest rest regularly. No one is truly indispensable every moment of the day.
Rest is overlooked, which is silly because it brings significant benefits to you and the people around you. When we rest, our minds and bodies rebuild themselves, and we’re more alert and ready for anything. It is as essential for living as water and air. Even a 10-minute nap is proven to improve your ability to function in all areas of your life.
With improved abilities, comes increased efficacy and a sense of fulfillment. Rest brings balance into our lives and opportunities for reflection and self-appraisal – which help us move more strategically and in alignment with our values.
2020 has been chaotic. This may mean there has never been a better time to draw the blinds and flop into bed as an act of kindness to yourself.
Get some rest.
Photo by Cassandra Hamer on Unsplash
