get some rest…

“Almost anything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.“

~ Anne Lamott

Rest. It's an often overlooked but ever-critical component of self-care. When most of us hear "rest," we think of sleep or feeling like we are trading something of "importance" with being lazy or unproductive. The simple truth is this: just like our body needs to recover after an intense physical workout, the brain needs time to recover and recharge.

In our daily lives, we're bombarded with information, demands for productivity, and constant connectivity, leading to decision fatigue, mental exhaustion, and the risk of burnout. Rest is not a luxury but a necessity for our overstimulated brains to reset and recover.

Most associate rest with sleep or spending the day on the couch (by the way, I'm a huge fan of both). A 2021 study conducted by NCSU highlights the impact of “microbreaks” or short bursts of rest ranging from 30 seconds to 5 minutes, which provide substantive opportunities to refresh cognitive functioning and offer relief to the overworked parts of the brain.

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith introduced the concept of the seven types of rest in her book, “Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity.” She explores the importance and practical application of each type of rest for overall well-being.

Downtime replenishes attention and motivation, encourages productivity and creativity, is essential to achieving our highest performance levels, and unsticks our thoughts - allowing new ideas and possibilities to form.

This exercise focuses on seven forms of rest - healthy distractions we can introduce to give our brain a break. The goal is to identify how you are experiencing rest today, uncover opportunities to explore other kinds of rest and become more intentional in bringing more resting moments to your daily life. Questions for your consideration follow below.

Reflective Exercise

Instructions: Grab a journal or something to capture your thoughts. For each of the seven areas of rest - consider the following questions…

  • In what ways are you practicing this form of rest? How do you see the impact of these activities in your life today?

  • Is this an area of rest you want to change or enhance somehow?

  • How often are you practicing, and how happy are you with the frequency?

  • What obstacles/challenges keep you from practicing this form of rest?

  • How interested are you in making changes to your practice in this area?

  • What thoughts do you have about how you’d like to change it?

Resources

In addition to Dr Dalton-Smith’s book, here are some great reads that address the broader concept of rest and its essential role and well-being. They offer various perspectives and insights into how rest can be effectively integrated into modern life.