Rest is Not a Reward

Oftentimes, people believe they need to earn their rest. They might say "I've worked hard this week, I deserve to rest this weekend," but the truth is, you should simply say, "I deserve to rest." You, as a human being, deserve to have rest. And you need it! You shouldn't feel guilty or feel the need to justify taking the time to rest.

It is important to know which type(s) of rest you need. There are 7 types of rest:

Creative Rest- taking time to reignite your creative spark. This can be relaxing activities such as coloring, painting, reading, or simply watching a show/movie that gets your imagination going.

Mental Rest- one of the best ways to do this is to schedule time to take a break. If you are at work you can try scheduling a 10 minute break every couple of hours. During this time you can take a walk, eat a snack, or whatever will help you relax for a bit.

Physical Rest- there are two types of physical rest. Passive, which is resting or sleeping. And active, which is doing things like meditation or yoga.

Social Rest- a social rest deficit often comes from hanging out with people too often, for too long, or being with the wrong people. Take some time to think about who in your life is good for your wellbeing and who is not. Decrease your time with the people who are not good for your wellbeing and continue spending time with the people who are good. If you have spent a lot of time around people lately, try taking a day to yourself to recharge.

Emotional Rest- being the person that everyone seems to go to and rely on can be very tiring, especially if you have a hard time setting boundaries for yourself. If you find yourself not wanting to talk to someone or feeling unable to help, it is okay to put yourself first and say no. It is okay to say no to talking, hanging out, going out, etc. to take care of yourself.

Sensory Rest- you hear all the time to unplug once in a while but how often do you actually do it? It is important to get sensory rest since there are constantly things going on around you whether you notice it or not. Lights, screens, background conversations, typing on a keyboard, etc. are things that seem to be nonstop. Taking time to literally unplug, turn off the electronics and lights, and sit or lay down for a while can give you the sensory rest your body needs.

Spiritual Rest- getting spiritual rest is you reconnecting. Whether it's reconnecting in a religious sense, to nature, or to others, it is important to take the time to do so. Try going to a church, take a nature walk, or volunteering.