3 reasons why getting rest isn’t just about sleep.
“Clear out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.” — Dee Hock
“Life is what happens when you are not on autopilot” are words that ring true especially when you take a moment to stop and see the benefits of rest. Going from activity to activity can make you think you’re doing the right thing…after all if you’re busy then you must be productive right? However that’s not strictly true, just how effective can you truly be when autopilot equates to being mentally checked out and being too busy can limit your ability to function at optimal levels.
This is why getting rest isn’t just something we should do to restore ourselves physically but to re-motivate ourselves strategically. Here are 4 useful ways rest can be used strategically:
1. Rest creates room for objectivity
Consistently overextending yourself has been proven to impair cognitive function and the ability to regulate your emotions. This means you may not see things as you should or respond in the most balanced way when you’re tired. This not only has potentially damaging repercussions on your relationships but also on how you make decisions. ‘Perspective-taking’ for example is something that facilitates empathy for others and means you’re able to see experiences or situations from different perspectives. This becomes highly valuable especially if you work in or lead a team and is also useful if you have a client base that you seek to understand.
Yet as burnout involves emotional exhaustion it impairs one’s ability to engage in perspective-taking. Elevated stress levels are also associated with one’s tendency to withdraw from other people, so it too negatively affects your ability to get objective perspectives from those around you or even get the support you need.
2. Rest creates room for reflection
How many times have you come to the end of a busy season and taken time out to reflect on the experience but everything almost seems a blur? In addition to facilitating ‘perspective-taking,’ rest can create room to reflect which in turn leads to the identification of areas for improvement. However, a common mistake is leaving this reflection until the very end of a project or demanding season; rather this is best done regularly and continuously at various intervals. The benefits of this not only help you retain objectivity, rationality and emotional wellbeing but challenges you to take the steps required to test and implement potential improvements in the present when it’s most relevant, rather than waiting until ‘next time.’
“Success comes to those who have an entire mountain of gold that they continually mine.” — John Maxwell
3. Rest creates room for creativity
Do you ever find that ideas come to you when you’re not directly thinking about them? This is because allowing the brain to enter a more relaxed state in the face of a complex problem can stimulate greater creativity. Otherwise known as the ‘diffuse-thinking’ mode means that when the brain is less focused it is able to make broad subconscious and unconscious connections. Two of the best ways to utilise this thinking mode is to go for a walk or even sleep.
Whilst creativity may be crucial under high-pressure circumstances, when cognitive resources are occupied it has a negative effect on creativity. For example, when you are in a state of stress otherwise known as ‘fight-or-flight’ mode your brain will default to operating out of the most primal and least creative parts. This diminishes your ability to make these broad connections that ‘diffuse state thinking’ affords you.
Rest is not only physically and emotionally refreshing but it’s just a smart decision. Studies have even shown that the more a leader devalues sleep or rest, the less likely their followers will behave ethically when making key decisions. On the other hand, rest serves as a beneficial checkpoint that helps you reassess situations, gain perspective and re-strategise around which action to take and how to take it.
If you don’t already prioritise rest, try scheduling protected rest time into your diary where you’re not preoccupied with any particular activity, but you allow yourself to do the three things outlined above. Alternatively, don’t just do it alone, if you lead a team why not embed rest-taking practices into your team’s culture.
