Realistic Ways to Rest and Recharge Every Day
As a Yoga Teacher, I have the unique position of regularly asking people "how are you?" and getting a fairly honest response.
Lately the consensus has been, "we're tired." Which seems like an obvious answer when you truly pause to think about what we've been through as a collective in the last year and a half.
I don't have to tell you the amount of change, suffering, and fear we've endured. I heard someone recently say, "it's been a smoothie of emotions." And if that isn't true, I don't know what is.
What I can tell you is that your rest and well-being are more important than ever.
If rest isn't a regular practice for you, it can feel counterintuitive. But the truth is, it's counterculture.
The world can't rest for you. And at the pace we're going, it's not going to remind you to rest either. So that's why I'm here today. I want you to know you are worthy of rest without the pre-requisite of productivity.
And we might have that awareness that we need more of it but the question is HOW?! You're busy. You don't have time. You're tired. There are so many things coming between you and your rest.
Below, I'm giving you some easy-to-implement ways to incorporate rest into your day-to-day👇
Add time for rest into your schedule If you are anything like me, your schedule is planned out about 3 months in advance. For some of us high anxiety folks, planning makes us feel like we've got it all under control. But often times, we fill our schedule up with a whole lot of doing. A revolutionary practice I've been doing lately is scheduling time for rest. I add little 15-30 minute chunks into my day for full-on disconnection from the world. For you, it might be 2-5 minutes. Sometimes all it takes is a pause for a deep breath. It doesn't have to be life altering. Nobody has time to escape to Bali for 3 months to relax. So see how you can relax everyday for small intervals. Watch that flip your world upside down (in a good way).
Find time to unplug from technology It's no surprise that technology is a big contributor to our lack of rest. Sometimes I wonder what I could do with the time I spend scrolling on my phone. The easiest way I've found to unplug from technology is removing it from my morning and evening routines. In the morning, I have a glass of water, journal, and meditate BEFORE I pick up my phone. In the evenings, I try putting my phone in another room about 30 minutes to an hour before bed. This really allows me some moments without the stimulation and bright light of social media at some of my most relaxing times during the day.
Revamp your morning/evening routine When I updated my morning routine, it truly started changing my whole day. Is there one quick thing you can add or take away from your mornings or evenings to make them more sacred? Some ideas: Journaling, 5-minute meditation, a glass of water
Learn the art of dedicated attention So often we are doing and thinking about at least 10 things at once. This leads to chaos in our mind which eventually leads to burnout. Can you set your timer and get one thing done before you move on to the next? This will give you more focused and mindful time around your tasks and might even save you time. More time you can use for rest.
Say no more often Practice it with me... no, no, no, no, no. One of my favorite teachers says, "if it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no." Before you jump at every opportunity to add more to your plate, ask yourself: - Do you really want to? - Do you really need to? If the answer is no, the answer is no.
Get help Does it feel like you are carrying all the weight of home responsibilities? Ask your partner or kids to help out with one or two tasks. Do you need someone to guide you to rest more? Find a teacher, an accountability partner, or an app. You don't have to go at this alone.
Needing a teacher? Check out my weekly schedule and private offerings to tap into some guidance.