Have you noticed that in society we often respect and applaud people who are constantly busy? Proud of how little time we have to rest. We brag about the hours we worked or how little we slept. As if being too busy to sleep or relax is something to get excited about and dark circles under your eyes are a badge of honor.
Have you ever heard someone say, if you want to do a task, give it to a very busy person?
This is because it is easy to recognize the people who are getting things done. They are proactive with their lives. They are always in forward motion. They are consciously trying to prevent stagnation. What you may not realize is that the people who are most productive also rest intentionally. It's part of the plan of success.
More rest = more productivity
While productivity is a goal for many of us, ignoring our need for rest is a big inhibitor. If you accept that you just need some free time too, you will gain strength, clarity and focus for what to do next.
Resting can mean getting enough sleep at night. Or it could mean an afternoon nap. For some people, it means having some alone time. Time without expectations and drama. It could even mean a few days away if you feel the need to.
There are four main reasons why rest is so important. If you're someone who feels caught up in the “rat race,” where you run all the time but don't seem to get much farther, check out these parts for more peace of mind.
"If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit." - Banksy
Load
Our body needs sleep. Point. Some of us need more sleep than others, but everyone needs enough to recharge themselves. Without enough sleep you will not work at full capacity. You may still be working, but your productivity and efficiency will continue to decline.
Fatigue can result in reduced reaction time, judgment and vision. You will have problems processing information and short-term memory loss. If you have too little rest, your performance, vigilance and motivation decreases. You can also lose control of your emotions and become moody or overly aggressive.
Without rest, you may still be moving, but it's harder to stay focused and balance your priorities. And it becomes more difficult to remember in your mind why you are working so hard.
Reflection and reflection
It is important to make time for reflection. You may be taking a few minutes each day to write in a journal. Maybe you set aside a few hours a week or a day every month to discuss your progress. Some people can take a month-long sabbatical every year to unwind, relax, and reflect on their life, goals, and the future.
Reflection helps you set priorities in your life. If you take the time to go through the day, week, month, or year, you can see what worked well and what didn't. You can get a clear picture of where your efforts were in vain and where they were most productive. This way, you can eliminate the unproductive habits or activities and focus your energy on the best things that will continue to give you the momentum to achieve your goals.
Relaxing
Take a break. Remember that you are an essential human being that needs to be cared for. Not just your body, but also your mind and soul. All the hard running, doing pressure and working will yield nothing if you lose sight of who you are in the process.
Get some perspective in your life. You don't stop the world. Whatever your age, you've only been on Earth for a few years in relative terms. The world was spinning before you got here and it will keep spinning whether you can keep up with it or not. Do whatever it takes. Do what's important. Remember where you are going and why you are going there. Let the rest go. You can't do it all. But you can do what's important.
Reset
Once you gain some strength, clarity, and perspective, you can reset your goals. Determine what you want to achieve and create a new plan to help you do that. The danger of not taking the time to rest is that you can keep running with full force down the wrong path.
There will always be something in life that will slow you down. Illness is the most common problem in people who don't rest because of the body's basic need to recover. And when you finally slow down and take stock of where you are, you may realize you're a long way off course.
It is better to reset your course regularly than to wake up one day and find that you should go back in time. It is discouraging to see how much time and energy you have wasted running in the wrong direction, knowing that you will have to spend more time and energy getting back on track. Regularly redefine whether you are on the right track of what you want in life, based on what you have learned in your times of rest and self-reflection.
Should you take your rest?
Yes! And regularly.
Take care of your body by getting enough sleep. Make it clear what works for you and what doesn't. Concentrate by keeping your life in perspective and remembering why you work so hard. Constantly review your plans to keep you on track and achieve your goals.
How productive you are is a direct result of how rested you are.
Sources ao AmeInfo (link), CoffeeAndConfidence (link), Fastcompany (link), Simply Lifestyles (link)
