Sometimes life is crazy. It just is. No matter how much I implement rest into my schedule, no matter how carefully I plan, my job has intense seasons, and sometimes, it’s not always possible to get as much rest as I would like. The world won’t always stop, but sometimes I need to.
Sometimes it’s not about the quantity of the rest, it’s about the quality. Finding small moments to rest every day can make a world of difference.
Touch Grass
Telling someone to touch grass, has taken off from social media. It’s a way of telling someone to get out from behind their screen and reconnect with the real world. It’s not necessarily meant in a kind way when used on socials, but it’s still an excellent idea. I start every morning outside, to touch grass, breathe fresh air, find something beautiful to photograph, and then get on with my day. It makes a huge difference to my mindset. If I am feeling overwhelmed at work, there is something incredibly powerful about stepping away from the computer, stepping outside, and taking a few deep breaths of fresh air.
Turn Off The Phone Notifications
Feel like your brain is completely overwhelmed? Put your phone down. Turn off the notifications for half an hour and just walk away from it. You would be surprised how much clearer your mind feels just from that small amount of time. Notifications on phones release dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that triggers a feeling of anticipation and addiction. Give yourself a small break from it. If the thought makes you panic, it might be time for a digital detox
Connect With A Friend
When was the last time you really connected with a friend? Not via text and not over messenger. Actually connect face-to-face or in a phone call with someone whose company genuinely refreshes you. Book time for a coffee or a catch-up with someone who expects nothing from you. Someone you can just hang out with with no demands.
Read a Book at a Cafe
Take yourself to a local cafe, order your favourite coffee and read a book for half an hour. Take a time out from your busy schedule and just take a break. If reading is not for you, grab a coffee and listen to a podcast. I promise you there is absolutely nothing that can’t wait half an hour. In fact, there are probably many things on your list that will benefit from you taking a time out.
Just Breathe
Feeling overwhelmed? To-do list longer than your arm and not enough hours in the day. Stop, take a deep breath. Keep taking them. Write a list out, work through it one thing at a time, taking regular breaks. You will be surprised how much you get done by just slowing yourself down.
I have a tendency to panic and multitask when I have too much on my mind. I start a thing, then another thing, and then I see an email, and then I go back to the first thing. You get the picture. Everything becomes urgent when you are reacting rather than responding. Stopping, breathing, and really assessing what I need to achieve has been the thing that has changed everything about the way I work.
Pause
So often, we get caught up in the hustle mentality. Just because the world doesn’t want to stop, doesn’t mean that we have to live our lives that way. I have been working on pausing. It’s so easy when someone asks something of you to quickly commit without really thinking about the answer. We do this for a variety of reasons: we want to get the issue off our list, or people pleasing means we say yes to things we know we have no time for. We can feel obligated, particularly in church circles.
When you really pause before you answer, then you can actually consider everything before committing. Sometimes, it’s not the right time, season, or task to be doing, and it’s ok to pause, think about it, pray about it, and say no.
What Are Your Red Flags?
Even in busy seasons, it is possible to take small moments to rest. We can implement small habits to ensure that we are in control of our schedules. Sometimes the only person who knows you aren’t coping very well is you, and you might need to be aware of your own red flags.
When I am not resting enough, I get short-tempered, a little anxious, and bothered by things I can normally shrug off. These are the first signs for me that I need to look at how I am resting daily throughout intense seasons of work or life.
Article supplied with thanks to Life FM in Adelaide.
About the author: Lorrene McClymont is a writer and photographer who lives in the beautiful Barossa Valley in South Australia. You can connect with her on Instagram.
Feature image: Canva
