A few weeks ago, I hit full burnout mode, so I knew I needed to recharge physically and mentally. But after a few days of rest, I still felt exhausted.
I was so confused. I slept, I Netflixed— how come I still felt the same way? I decided to do a full audit of my rest habits and uncovered that there are different types of rest for me. We go through life thinking we’ve rested because we have gotten enough sleep — but in reality, we are missing out on the other types of rest we desperately need.
I am sharing below the rest I needed in my life balancing Clean Circle and my job.
- Physical rest! Besides sleeping or napping, yoga and stretching are great physical rest that helps our bodies circulation. Being aware of every movement- like our breathing- can contribute to our overall rest. In a yoga practice, there is a pose called Savasana. It is the final resting pose where we let all our bodies absorb our practice. It's one of my favorite poses because you lay there in complete stillness, fully conscious and attuned to your body. For me, I can be better than a nap.
- Mental rest. I have never been able to turn off my brain. I am always contemplating a myriad of different topics throughout the day. Enough is going on in this world to keep us up every night. But I started incorporating movement throughout the day, like taking a step outside or taking a break every hour to stretch. These small breaks allow me to take a moment to myself.
- Creative rest. Creative burnout is REAL! I’m slowly giving my workspace a refresh. Not throwing things out to replace them with something new [#sustainable], but I am surrounding myself with creative images that are inspiring and visually appealing.
- Emotional Rest. This has been a tough year, personally and professionally. When you’re building a brand, you only know what you know, which means there are 100x more things you DO NOT know. And it can take a toll when you hit a wall every day. I’ve created boundaries around my schedule— only taking certain calls and learning to say 'no'. And reminding myself that comparison is the thief of joy.
I'm in no way perfect, but there is no shame in needing a variety of rest. Which type of rest do you need more of right now? What can you do to ensure that you get it?