At some point in our lives, we’ve all experienced burnout. So how do we embrace rest in a busy culture? Everyone is all about the grind and the hustles & bustles of making ends meet. We value being busy even if we’re not being productive. The busy culture has made it increasingly difficult for one to embrace rest without feeling guilty about it. Embracing rest is one of the best things you can do for your body and overall well-being. It might be the best thing you can do for your career as well. Unplugging might make you more creative and productive. Embracing rest in a busy culture is of great benefit to your mental health. The busy culture affects our relationships, friendships, and family bonding.
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Being busy has slowly become a status symbol. It’s assumed that the busier you are the more important and successful you are. So how can we unlearn this and start embracing rest? Here are some foolproof ways you can embrace rest in a busy culture;
Set Boundaries
Without boundaries in anything we do, there’s no balance. Start setting boundaries at your workplace, with your friendships and relationships. If you’re called for work or for business past certain hours you need to take action and start setting these boundaries. Being reliable is a great working trait but there comes a time when you have to set the limit. Setting boundaries will ensure you rest when you’re supposed to. It will refresh your mind and body. In as much as workplaces reward working extra hours with time, it becomes draining and you will experience burnout.
Utilize a Planner
Pick up a planner and have your days organized. You can use the planner to create to-do lists and goals you want to achieve in the course of the day, week, month, and year. Don’t add multiple things to your to-do list, you will become overwhelmed. Be sure to add reasonable items that will help you attain your goal or bring you closer to your goal. Make sure in your planner there’s a clear distinction between your work life and personal life. This will help compartmentalize your life and get your me time when you’re supposed to.
Self Care
In this busy culture, it’s very easy to forget to take care of yourself. Focus on your self-care, do not neglect yourself. Selfcare is very important for mental, physical, and emotional rejuvenation. Schedule me time on your calendar and practice some TLC on yourself. Practicing self-care can be healing. It enables you to rest, mentally, physically, and emotionally. You can choose to have a lazy day where you do nothing. Here are some self-care ideas that you can implement.
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When are you most productive?
Understand your body and figure out when you’re most productive. Are you a night person or a morning person? Understanding when you’re most productive can allow you to figure out when to rest. If you rest when you’re supposed to be most productive, your body will feel uneasy and you will start feeling guilty about resting. If you’re a morning person stick to the heavier tasks or make decisions in the morning. Focus on your tasks when you’re most productive and schedule your resting time when you’re least productive.
Screen Time
Unplug from the online world and pick up other hobbies that will help you relax. The standard routine for people who work is to get home, take a shower, make dinner, turn on your TV, and surf on your phone. Not necessarily in that order but that’s the standard routine. Reduce your screentime and indulge in much more fulfilling hobbies like walking, reading, yoga, writing and so much more. Turn off notifications from a certain time of day till morning.
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Work Out
Working out has been known to reduce stress levels. Exercising on the regular has been known to improve your mood and it can help you relax. Working out has the power to boost your self-confidence. It helps in releasing endorphins which help in relaxation. Take care of your physical needs, it can be sleeping early, practicing yoga, hiking, dancing, or even walking. Working out does not have to involve going to the gym. So if you’re “allergic” to the gym you can still do other types of physical activities to help you relax. When you work out you feel better and you sleep better.
Ask for help
If you’re overwhelmed at work, ask for help. It’s okay to delegate, it might be hard, but it could be the best thing that ever happened to you. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. No need to overburden yourself with work when you can get help or you can delegate. The more you take on the more burnout you get. Delegating does not mean you are incapable. It’s okay to rest. This way you’re more energetic and rejuvenated when doing your tasks.
Say No
Not everyone deserves access to you at all times. Saying no can be empowering both in your work life and personal. You don’t owe anyone any favors. You can always find a way of saying no without coming off as rude. If it’s not in your job description or does not fall under your jurisdiction, it’s okay to say no. Saying no will make sure you’re not doing things that are mentally exhausting. Mentally tired is the worst kind of tired. Reserve your time for self-care and things that make your soul shine.
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Cut yourself some slack
There comes a time when everyone just has s slow period. This is when your body starts to tell you, slow down. When this happens it’s okay to cut yourself some slack. Take your well deserved rest as it’s much needed. It’s normal to have times when you don’t want to get out of bed. You can’t always live life on the fast lane, sometimes you just need a couple of slow days or weeks to rejuvenate.