Rest Your Body, Relax Your Mind, and Recharge Your Soul

Recently, I was hit by a particularly nasty cold that all but incapacitated me for several days. I’d taken the usual precautions to stay healthy through the winter — eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, even getting the flu shot — but there are still some bugs that manage to sneak past your defenses, and this was one of them.
In our increasingly connected society, where time is our most precious commodity and business success is measured by our levels of productivity and efficiency, it’s easy to want to “power through” life’s setbacks and keep on top of our daily work. When you’re going through the healing process though, only complete rest will ensure that you’re able to bounce back to 100% — and that rest involves every aspect of your being, body, mind, and soul.
Here are some things to remember the next time you have that urge to “power through” and ignore your need to rest, relax, and recharge.
Don’t be Patient X / Ground Zero
We’ve all had experiences with that one coworker who insists on coming in, even though it’s fairly — sometimes painfully — obvious that they’re still recovering from their ailments. They may do so out of a sense of duty, and/or because they feel it’s an admirable gesture to their workplace and team.
… It’s not. Don’t be that person who puts their coworkers at risk of getting sick. Even the thought of being in close proximity with someone who may be contagious isn’t a very pleasant one. Do yourself and your team a favor — stay away until you’re back to 100%.
Repeat after me: “Email Is Endless”
It’s better to accept this fact now and work around it, rather than trying to beat it: if you work, especially if you work in the corporate world, then you should know that email is endless. There is no “Inbox Zero,” at least for the long term.
People will always be reaching out to you, at all hours of the day and night, and even on weekends. This is true for email as well as with messaging applications, from texting to social media. If you’re out sick and constantly checking and responding to your messages, you’re setting an unrealistic expectation of your involvement in these conversations — you may be able to keep up with some but eventually, you’ll begin to slow down and not keep up with others. This isn’t fair to you or to the others you’re communicating and working with.
For emergency situations, ask them to call you. Otherwise, let them know you’re out, provide them with realistic options for follow up, then disconnect. Which brings us to the next point.
To truly disconnect, start with your brain
It’s easy to physically disconnect and unplug from all the ways you interact with others: you can turn off your VPN and computer, silence your phone, and avoid social media. But for those used to a high level of productivity on a daily basis, mentally disconnecting may be easier said than done.
When you’re at home, away from the distractions of the office — phone calls, email, meetings — you may feel the need to take advantage of this “downtime” and think through some projects and other work you otherwise wouldn’t have as much time for, on a regular day. This in of itself is still leaving you connected to your work, and not allowing your mind to completely clear itself so your body can recover.
Your body has a natural signal to your brain when it needs that healing time — if you feel the need to sleep, do so. Don’t fight it. If you’re tired and/or weak but your brain is still going a hundred miles per hour, take measures to slowly wind down and relax. Take a shower, read a book, watch a little Netflix; your brain, and body, will thank you for it.
And on that note …
Remember that household chores are “work,” too
Chores. Errands. Volunteering. Catching up on personal email. Posting your kids’ videos to social media. Although these aren’t considered work, they’re “work” in that they keep you from being disconnected and allowing yourself to heal.
If you’re out sick and can’t do work, then you shouldn’t be doing other things as well. This seems like a no-brainer, from both a practical and ethical standpoint but again, folks used to a certain degree of productivity may not be able to resist using all the “extra” time away from the office.
Relax … if work can wait, so can the other things. Keep your mind focused on your number-one priority, and that’s beating your illness and getting back to 100%.
Mind, Body, and Soul
As you begin to recover, don’t jump into your daily grind the minute you feel a little better. Ease into it, and find ways to recharge your soul as you rest your mind and heal your body. Get a little sunshine and fresh air, but don’t overdo it — and remember to stay at home if you’re still contagious. Do little things to progressively lift your spirits and fully recharge, so by the time you return to work you’re well enough to get a running start on the day.
The weekend before I returned to work, I was cleared of all sickness — but, I still took it easy and continued to rest. I visited a beach and spent the day just enjoying the warm sun, cool breeze, and calming surf.
When I finally returned to the office, I found that I felt more productive than the days before I got sick. Monday was “easy,” and I accomplished a lot on my first day back.
Taking the time to rest, relax, and recharge during an illness does wonders for you, on all levels: mind, body, and soul.
