Learn to Embrace Rest

When setting goals, it’s easy to get fixated on constant progress and endless grind. The problem with approach, of course, is that you never give your mind and body time to rest and regroup. For creatives, this may be a constant struggle as many have a tendency to juggle multiple projects at a time, making it difficult to disengage without feelings of guilt.

When you don’t allow time for rest, you can’t operate to your full ability. Your mind and body will eventually give out. Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh may have put it best when he said, “We have lost the wisdom of genuinely resting and relaxing. We worry too much. We don’t allow our bodies to heal, and we don’t allow our minds and hearts to heal.”

It’s generally accepted that rest — and even boredom — is necessary for creatives to replenish the well, but the same is true of physical rest. If you work out nonstop, your body becomes fatigued and thus more susceptible to injury. Even if you’re fortunate enough to avoid injury, you’ll typically see a decline in overall strength and flexibility.

So how do you balance rest without feeling guilty?

The key is to afford yourself a little grace. There’s no reason to beat yourself up over recuperation and mental decompression. As a society, we’re so focused on the destination that we forget the true experience is the journey. Growth is not a straight line. Whether or not you afford yourself some rest, you will stumble; you will fall. The important thing is that you get back up and keep moving forward, and if you take the time to rest once in a while, you’ll likely reach further.

When you worry over what’s to come — or might not even come at all — you effectively suffer twice. Accept instead only what is within your power to control and make the best of all else. Part of this means listening to your body and tending to it properly.

Epictetus once said, “You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.” Well, your body houses your soul, so you would do well to take proper care of it. Because when you’re rundown, you are not your best, you’re vulnerable to impulse and temptation; you’re less reflective and more reactive.

There’s a reason meditation is such a valuable practice, both for the soul and the clarity of mind: it forces you to slow down and rest, if only for a few moments. By bringing your breath under control and training your attention not to stray so easily, you effectively reboot your system. But while meditation can help the mind and spirit, the body requires more rest.

For example, if I’m leading four yoga classes per week and doing a solo workout another day, I shouldn’t feel guilty about taking a couple of days off. Could I use that time to work on new moves or design new flows I could implement in future classes? Sure, but I don’t have to feel down about myself if I don’t.

Embrace the idea of rest. Watch a movie or a couple of episodes of your favorite show; read an entertaining book that doesn’t profess to be a life-changing experience; play an old video game if that’s your thing. Just give yourself some space and the opportunity to sit and do nothing once in a while.

Your mind and body will thank you.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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