3 Paths to Rest: When you do not have the time

Hello Powerhouse,

Have you been resting? My guess is, no you have not.

We live in a capitalist society that is money-driven, result-orientated and goal-focused. We are constantly bombarded with articles on how to improve our productivity, how to stay ahead of revolution and how to ensure that our goals and ambitions are the epicentre of our focus. Although, it is paramount to stay ahead of the game and work towards the aforementioned, no one ever truly takes time out to highlight the importance of rest. Matter of fact, the mere thought of rest fills us with thoughts of counter-productivity, slow progress and a fear of falling behind on our ambitions.

Indulge me for a second, how often do you take a timeout to rest? Time filled with pure rest, and not yet another activity or TV show, or catching up on household chores or household shopping. If I was to ask you, do you understand your bodies language of rest, would you be able to answer me? Your rest language is an extensive topic, today, I would like to give you easy, useful tips you can use to induce rest into your everyday schedule. This especially for those that live such hectic lives, that rest feels like a foreign language.

Rest Perking

Sometimes our busy schedule simply does not allow for one to sleep or nap. Rest perking is when you put your feet up and close your eyes and allow your mind to switch off. You clear your mind for a few minutes, concentrate on your breathing and allow your neurons a break, because you are not concentrating or actively focused on something. This can be seen as a form of meditation.

A walk a day

The idea of trying to commit to exercise each day feels like too large a commitment for some. Understandably, it just feels like you do not have sufficient time. Take a walk whenever you can, if you find yourself frantic at any point in your day, get up and take a short walk outside. Take your lunch break with a short walk. This not only boosts your activity and standing duration for the day, but helps clear your mind and change your environment (even if it's for a short while) in order to boost your mood.

Dolce far niente

Far Niete means "without a care" and Dolce means "sweet" in Italian. In essence, sweet without a care, which is an Italian phrase derived from the movie and novel Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Take sweet time off without a care. Now, for many of us, we think that this has to be 24 hours, a full day, which you simply do not have the luxury of. However, it can be taking an evening off, to simply be. This, with your phone switched off, some wine in hand and silence. It can be a Sunday afternoon, spent lazily at a restaurant by yourself, with the sweet sound of your own company. It means prioritizing time, which can be some 3 hours, dedicated to nurturing yourself.

Life becomes busy, responsibilities pile up and before long, the idea of taking time out to rest, starts to seem overwhelming and unattainable. However, it is important to take care of yourself. You are your number one star player, and you are a lot more productive when you give yourself rest in the middle of the stressful schedule of life.

Happy resting powerhouse, you need it and deserve it.

I hope these tips are practical and are applicable to your everyday life.

I hope to hear from you soon, enjoy your Wednesday.

From one Powerhouse to another,

Love

Mavis

Get in touch on twitter - @mavisbraga