Hello friends, I’ve been thinking about rest lately and what that means to us.  We all look forward to Friday at work, telling each other about our plans for the two rest days ahead, and then before we know it is Sunday evening again and our minds drift back to thinking about all those tasks, we left unfinished the week before and I don’t know about you but sometimes just the thought of it leaves me feeling exhausted and de-motivated before my working work even begins.

So, I thought I’d spend a little time reflecting on this and thought I’d share this exploration with you all.

When we’re feeling tired, quite often we’ll turn to think about the quality of our sleep or think we can fix this tiredness through an evening of watching Netflix – I am definitely guilty of that one myself, but thinking about ‘rest’ needs us to think a little differently. We also may think that we’ve rested well because we’ve gotten a good night’s sleep but here’s the thing that I’ve learned this week.

Perhaps the way we define rest needs redefining by thinking about our lives in the following contexts:

1.       Physical rest – this type of rest is described as rest our body needs to relax, repair, and recuperate, and also restorative rest gained through activities like yoga, stretching, Tai Chi, or having a massage.

2.     Mental rest – this rest is about calming the mind which physical rest cannot always do, as the mind is still in an active state. Mental rest is just as vital as physical rest, without it you may experience an inability to concentrate, irritation, apathy, or brain fog. This is about meditation or mindfulness.

3.     Sensory rest – this rest is about doing something about the barrage of stimulation we receive from screens, noise pollution, our busy environments, and bright artificial light.  All these things can cause headaches, and feelings of overwhelm.  The best way to overcome this is to schedule stimulation-free time throughout the day.  Simply finding a quiet space and closing your eyes and having a pause can really help.

4.     Creative rest – this one is about any activity that requires imagination and problem-solving, which require focus and energy. This one requires thinking about your creative activities in a different way and perhaps doing something that re-energises, being lost in a story or nature are great ways to combat creative overload.

5.     Emotional rest – this one particularly resonates for those working in caring environments and links to compassion fatigue.  Being immersed in caring for others takes a toll on our energy levels causing disconnect, depression, and anxiety.  This one is about thinking of ways to refill your emotional tank.  Checking in with your own emotional needs and ensuring you practice self-care.

6.     Social rest – sometimes we can feel overwhelmed with balancing our social lives as we try to spend time with people we care about and this in itself can be demanding at times.  Think about ways to set yourself some boundaries, and have some time away from people and situations that overwhelm your energy senses.

7.     Spiritual rest – this one is about re-aligning yourselves to what is important to you on a deeper level. It’s about ensuring you are living a life aligned with your principles, values, and purpose. It is about a sense of belonging and connectedness to your surroundings a life in general.  It might look like finding moments of peace by taking time out at a retreat, exploring art, and doing kindness to others through philanthropy.

I hope you’ve found this useful and if you want a deeper dive into the subject, most of the points highlighted above have come from this Ted Talk: The 7 types of rest that every person needs | (ted.com). 

Other noteworthy things that have caught my attention this week:

I picked up a magazine today called Breathe and Make Time for Yourself; I try not to buy them these days, as they are often equal to the price of a book, but I’ve been meaning to seek this one out for a while.  I’ve not looked through it properly but a flick through reveals beautifully colourful photographs and images, I’m sure there will be lots of gems to share with you all in the coming weeks.

I was given a book at Christmas called Everyday Plant Magic – change your life through the magical energy of nature. Which is a lovely hardback book about the benefits of plants and their uses in the home and much more.  More to come from this book too.

Photo of the Week

Coming to the website this week is my book review of Looking Inward by Swami Purnachaitanya and the Ikigai Worksheet.  Why not sign up for my newsletter via the website, so you don’t miss out on new resources?

Before you go, why not leave me a message, I love to hear how you rest and recharge.

Bye for now. Jackie