In a world that constantly pushes us forward to do more, have more, succeed MORE, it’s easy to forget that rest is not only beneficial but necessary. Rest is an essential part of wellness, rejuvenation, and an overall sense of well-being. As your sanctuary, ideally your home is a place to rest, allowing you to recharge and replenish your energy in a comfortable and familiar environment. Whether it’s in your space or with your favorite childhood pastime, rest and leisure are essential elements for mental health.
Rest is a requirement, not a reward.
WHAT:
While quality sleep is undoubtedly crucial, rest can also take the form of engaging in leisure activities such as enjoying nature, shooting hoops, writing, practicing mindfulness, or simply allowing ourselves moments of stillness. The key is to find what brings us joy, peace, and relaxation, and to incorporate those activities into our daily lives.
Rest is not limited to sleep alone.
WHY:
A recent analysis of several research studies involving over 1, 300 people from different countries has shown that those who believe leisure activities are a waste of time experience higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to those who find value in engaging in leisurely pursuits.
Resting protects your mental health in numerous ways.
- Rest reduces stress and promotes relaxation.
- Rest enhances focus and productivity.
- Rest boosts creativity.
- Rest contributes to emotional well-being including positive moods and feelings of optimism.
- Rest improves relationships.
HOW TO START:
Take a few moments to think through what feels authentic and enjoyable to you. If bubble baths and yoga retreats aren’t your thing take heart, it doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to become routine. Rest is about disconnecting from daily stressors.
- Mindset: Prioritizing rest begins with a mindset. When you believe that rest is essential and valuable, you are more likely to make conscious choices that prioritizes a balanced lifestyle. Embrace rest as a necessity.
- Fun: Select your restful activity. No idea where to begin? Start with an activity you used to love to do as a child. An activity that already has a positive association increases the likelihood of follow through. Were you once a voracious reader? Did you love playing tennis back in the day? Has it been too long since the last time you hiked? What appealed to you before obligations blotted out the sun?
- Prioritize: Block off dedicated time on your calendar and set reminders for relaxation. Treat this time as non-negotiable and use it to unwind and recharge.
- Time: Delegate tasks or ask for help to enable some down time. Identify the tasks or responsibilities that you can reasonably hand off to others. Can your groceries be delivered occasionally? Can you trade off babysitting with a friend or neighbor to get the kids out of your hair for an hour or two? Is hiring a house cleaner is in your budget? Even just once a month is more rest than you had before. While it would take longer to see the benefits, a professional organizer can help situate your home in a way that will be easier to maintain, thus allowing for restful downtime and avoiding burnout. The idea is to create space to allow rest.
BONUS TIP:
If you’re spinning more plates than a circus performer and the term “leisure” is a foreign language to you, try an even more low-key strategy. 15 minutes laying on the couch with your eyes closed, reading, stretching, sitting in the car before going into work. Anything that allows you to disconnect.
BOTTOM LINE:
Don’t have 15 minutes? Take 10. Don’t have 10? Take 5. Don’t have 5? Even if you only have 2 minutes, it’s still worth taking a break. If you can’t do it every day, try once a week. Allow yourself time to get used to your new habit and time for the habit to work. Soon enough, you’ll wonder why you gave up this restorative activity in the first place.
Your game plan for rest needs to be realistic yet appealing enough to rise above constant stimuli, demanding schedules, and an ever-increasing list of obligations. Plan accordingly.
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