Finding Joy in Doing Nothing
By: The Good Men Project
Tags: Happiness, Mental Health, Advice, Rest, Life Lessons

Finding Joy in Doing Nothing

The power of rest.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

By Crystal Richard

When was the last time that you were intentionally did nothing? Rest doesn’t have to look like doing your favorite activity or sleeping. When was the last time you gave yourself permission to rest? Many of us are 0–100 on the go! Here is a plea to stop the glorification of busy. We pride ourselves in productivity and achievement so much so that we give in to the slow burn of fatigue. The slow burn of sickness. The slow burn of mental illness.

Resting sends a message to our brains that it is safe to restore cells, to relax, to enjoy the moments that make life worth living. Resting gives you a brain break to generate new ideas. Resting reinvigorates a tired spirit. Resting is the equivalent to drinking water when the body is dehydrated. It is imperative to heed the signs that you need to rest before your body literally tells you to do so.

A few warning signs that you may need to rest:

You are irritable! If your everyday tasks start to bring you frustration when you normally move through them with ease, a period of resting may be what is required.

Everyone starts to notice that your performance is dwindling. Coworkers even without knowing you well, have a knack for knowing when you are off your game. You spent around 95% of your day at work, so others may be taking notes and evaluating you. Take the time to look at where you can take rests to break up your day to maximize productivity while at work.

Strained relationships- relationships take work and that means energy. When you don’t give the best of yourself to yourself, you can’t begin to touch the surface of meeting someone else’s needs. If things are tense, throw some rest in the equation. Taking a break in tense moments to renew yourself can be the most affirming to yourselves and your relationships.

You’re low on energy. When you are burning the candle at both ends, you will feel depleted. You no longer have the capacity to move at light speed. When you need to rest you won’t be able to be at full capacity of functioning. Resting serves as a means to halt all activity and give yourself a chance to cope with all of the activity. Taking the time to slow down, will also create the space for more allowing. Energy will be restored, renewed and sent to where it needs to go when you are resting.

What are your beliefs about resting? Since we live in a “you must be productive to matter…” in today’s society, challenging that notion can be tricky. Explore your resistance to rest and explore the benefits of what resting could do for you. Don’t get in your own way. Eliminate your excuses when it comes to finding time to rest. When you find your rest, you find peace of mind. When you rest, you set the tone for the longevity of your life. Surrender to the prompting of your being, when rest is being called in. You will be thankful that you did.–

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The story was previously published on The Good Men Project.

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About Crystal Richard

I am a lover of all things nerdy: video games, anime, music, conventions and more.

Licensed Professional Counselor(Associate)

Certified Life Coach(JRNI)