Why We All Must Rest

It hit me. I couldn’t think straight. All I wanted was to eat and eat. Irritability felt normal. Writer’s block set in.

Was I depressed? Nope. Perhaps hunger caused all of this? Nope. Maybe I simply have nothing helpful to write? Nope. “If none of these are the problem, then what is?” I thought.

What was the problem? Rest. Actually it was a lack of rest.

Michael Hyatt’s blog recently reminded me of my need for rest. If you think about it, this advice applies to all of us. We need rest. We need regular rest. We all could probably benefit from a sabbatical from work to slow down, to reconnect with our spouse, and to reorient our daily life to our life’s priorities. Here are some things I’ve learned recently (through failure, good friends, and good mentors/coaches) about rest:

1) Rest is Essential

It is easier to write this than to live it. But do you plan your week so that you have regular times of emotional and physical rest? Many of us say we do but never do. In fact, rest is as important as your work.

2) Rest Must be Regular

I think I’ve only met three people in my life who have a rest plan. I would guess that very few people take the time out to do this. In all reality though, we plan the most important things in our life. Ask yourself, how important is rest to me?

3) Everyone Rests Differently

About a year ago, someone asked me a weird question (at least I thought it was at the time). How do you rest? I looked at them with confusion and bewilderment. During the conversation, I discovered that we all rest differently. Think about your last vacation. Did you plan every day full of activity, did you wake up each morning and decide what to do, or did you do something altogether different? If you don’t know how you rest best, your family likely doesn’t either. In the words of G.I. Joe, “knowing is half the battle.”

4) Rest Influences Everything

When I get sufficient sleep, I rarely get sick, frustrated, or even writer’s block for that matter. Think of the last time you felt frustrated. Were you well rested, exercising, and living a balanced life? I would argue that one of the best ways to lose weight is to have a regular rest plan and routine. Our bodies recuperate better from exercise, we have the energy to get up, and potentially less cravings for food due to exhaustion.

What tips do you have on how to rest? Leave a comment below.