I have just come off of a week of forced rest. Body overcome with illness, I spent most days simply moving from my bed to my couch where I clicked on Top Chef and proceeded to binge full seasons.
I did not engage with social media. I did not tidy my home. I did not go to the gym. I did not attend to my blog. I did not plan or shop or act productively in any way shape or form. And, many of you would tell me that I acted rightly in doing so, everyone knows you need to rest to recover from an illness.
Yet, my mind was reeling and frantic the entire time.
WHY?
I believe that incessant drive to do better and more is - generally - beneficial.
Looking back on my 24 years of existence, this inner instinct to remain busy and productive has led to some amazing accomplishments and resume builders, as I filled any and all free time with activities. And all of these activities... they were GOOD things [as my therapist reminded me as we talked about this in our last few sessions together in VA].
No one would look at my resume of life from over the years and tell me I had wasted time.
But I sat there on that gray couch in her office, expressing feelings of frustration and exhaustion about this drive that once filled me with pride. After 6 months of "slowing down" I came to the realization that I no longer want to be doing everything all the time - I am burnt out. It is not fun to be unable to spend a day on the couch with my husband binging our favorite show because my mind is reeling about my to-do list or telling me I am lazy.
I crave a slower life, a life that includes moments of rest.
BUT CULTURE SAYS...
To be a boss, to do, to experience, to adventure, to BE PRODUCTIVE with every waking moment of our lives. If you are not making or creating or building something you are doing nothing.
This is what the New Yorker describes as "productivity culture," and in a piece titled The Frustration with Productivity, the writer quotes a reader describing this cultural phenomenon as more toxic than helpful. The reader wrote: "The productivity terminology encodes not only getting things done, but doing them at all costs." And it leaves us exhausted.
Productivity culture - in most cases - has made us all chase more and better, without balance or rest.
There is another common cause of productivity that seems to contribute as well - work causes us to feel important, and enables us to immerse ourselves in tasks and to-do's. Thus it removes our ability to focus on past trauma, or negative emotions that seem to overwhelm us when we find time to sit still and take a reprieve from life.
Thus, the Harvard Business Review reports in Why We Glorify Overwork and Refuse to Rest, nearly half of workers in the United States leave PTO days sitting unused year after year.
But the reality is: A life of excessive productivity [as we now seem to define it], while it can be incredibly fulfilling, it is not sustainable.
Eventually, it will catch up to us.
WHAT IS THE COST OF A LIFE LACKING REST?
Because, trust me, it does come at a cost.
What research and data has shown:
Higher rates of burnout and decrease in effectivity at work according to the Harvard Business Review.
Increased likelihood of mortality - the Harvard Business Review quoting a 2021 WHO article stating working 55+ hours weekly, compared to the usual 40, is linked to significantly increased risk for stroke or heart attack.
It is also connected to increased likelihood of mental health conditions
Lack of sleep leads to worsened physical health, reduced capacity for thinking and decision making, irritability, difficulty regulating emotions, and difficulty with mental health according to the Sleep Foundation.
Showing, a lack of rest affects both PHYSICAL and MENTAL wellbeing.
Beyond the science, the Bible also notes rest throughout its pages:
God rested on the seventh day after completing His work of creation. [Genesis 2:2]
The Old Testament denotes a Sabbath observance on the seventh day of the week to allow time to stop our labor and focus on God. [Exodus 20:8-10, 31:14-17; Deuteronomy 5:12-14]
The Psalms tells us to "Be still and know that I am God..." [Psalm 46:10]
The New Testament talks about a Sabbath rest for God's people in Hebrews, referring to our eternal rest in heaven. [Hebrews 4:9-10]
Jesus, Himself, takes time away from His ministry to be with His Father and rest, often leading the disciples into rest with Him [Mark 6:31-32]
And on and on. So, we see, rest is important SPIRITUALLY as well.
From all of this, we can then conclude that a lack of rest affects the entirety of the human existence: mind, body, and soul.
SO, NOW WHAT?
Now, we learn to rest.
"But, Alissa, rest is uncomfortable." That's okay. The discomfort does not mean you are doing something wrong. Most things that require us to break bad habits or push past our comfort zones are uncomfortable.
And the way you make the discomfort go away: you sit in it and you notice your world is not imploding, that the world continues to spin, that life as you know it does not end, and that you are still considered productive and successful even if you rest.
Okay, so how do I rest?
Well, rest does not mean you have to eliminate all activity and spend time on the couch - it encompasses doing things that fill your cup, sleep, things that allow your brain or body to not be on overdrive, and most importantly spending time with God who will give you peace and can be an ultimate source of rest as you learn to transfer the weight of this world onto His very capable and willing shoulders - allowing you to rest in Him.
Examples of Different Types of Rest:
Get into nature
Spend time with friends and family over a cup of coffee
Take breaks throughout your workday to take a deep breath or read a Bible Verse
Journal
Engage your creative side in painting, sketching, or other art forms
Meditate
Exercise
Sleep
Create a routine of self care - massages, stretching, etc.
Read a book
Practice Mindfulness
Volunteer
Pray and Read Your Bible
Join a Bible Study
Invest time into a hobby that does not involve work or profit
To help yourself get started in determining which of these might be right for you ask yourself:
When I find myself with free time what do I enjoy doing?
What things do I engage in that I find myself needing recovery days from or leave me tired afterwards?
What things do I engage in that bring light to my soul and cause me to feel energized?
Am I getting enough sleep?
Do I know God in a manner that enables me to rest in Him?
And when your brain tries to convince you rest is simply an excuse to be lazy, remind that brain of yours that it has been shown through research to work best when it balances rest AND work - rather than diving all in to the work side of things.
As Alex Soojung- Kim Pang, consultant and researcher, stated in his book - Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less - "Rest is not this optional leftover activity. Work and rest are actually partners. They are like different parts of a wave. You can't have the high without the low. The better you are at resting, the better you will be at working."
[And if you are interested in the science behind this sentiment feel free to dig into the Default Mode Network of the brain in your freetime!]
So, you see, rest is not only important for our mental, physical, and spiritual health [allowing us to slow down and be in the presence of God, engaging in relationship with Him through prayer, meditation, Bible study, devotionals, worship etc.] it is productive.
Therefore, this new year, let's use our time wisely by scheduling a rhythm of rest into our lives. We will be the better for it.
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