We can all easily agree that rest is important and that we should emphasize it in our lives, but actually implementing rest is another story entirely. This can be for a variety of reasons. Anything from not knowing how to rest to feeling like you haven’t done enough to justify resting can create resistance to the idea of spending more time on rest. Part two of the rest series focuses on the barriers that we can face when trying to get more rest. (As a heads-up, part of this article will talk about societal issues and ideas surrounding rest.)
One of the most common ideas I hear when I’m talking to people about rest is that they feel guilty or not good enough because they need rest. Part of this, at least for many people in the US, can stem from feeling like they are not productive enough. Productivity and the idea that we always have to be doing something is very prevalent. We see it every day in the “side gigs” and the “hustle,” even in feeling the need to monetize our hobbies. So how do we rest with this pressure on us? We re-frame it.
Re-framing is changing how we look at or understand something. In this case, we need to start looking at rest as a necessity instead of a luxury. It is a requirement for survival in the same way that food and water are. If we don’t rest, our bodies will eventually force us to. But if we prioritize rest, it can lead to better health, more even emotions, and, perhaps, more control over yourself and your life. I’m going to be honest, re-framing sounds a lot easier to do than it actually is. The reality is that it will take practice and reminding yourself that it’s alright to rest and that it isn’t a personal failure on your part to need that rest. But it’s absolutely doable.
Another big barrier to rest that I hear about is lack of time, which is understandable. Our lives are busy, now more than ever, but rest doesn’t have to be one size fits all. More-so, rest should be changed to fit into your life and your schedule. If all you have is 5 minutes, then use that 5 minutes. That’s still 5 more minutes of rest than you had before. If we avoid making our approach to rest all or nothing, then we can focus more on doing what’s right for us.
There is a difficulty that you may face when trying to incorporate rest further into your life. If you approach rest like another task that needs to be completed, it can very easily become just that. Allow yourself to remain in the present moment. That’s where rest can truly blossom. This doesn’t mean that all rest needs to be fully unscheduled. For example, I typically put taking a bath on my to-do list for a day. However, that doesn’t mean that I approach it as a chore. Instead, I view it as an important relaxation activity.
Our next 7(!) posts in this series are going to go more in depth on the types of rest and how they can be better incorporated into our lives. But for now, I leave you with this question. What barriers to rest do you face in your daily life?
