For a person to be effective at work, she/he needs to get good rest on a regular basis. So-called “recharging the batteries” is often confused with physical rest, when in fact there are multiple ways for a person to rest and it takes a combination of these for recharging to be real. Society puts work on a pedestal and the importance of rest is underestimated. When one is rested, the generation of new ideas as well as productivity increases.
Physical rest
People most often associate rest with sleep. But sometimes even after a long and quality sleep, a person may feel exhausted. According to Shaundra Dalton-Smith, an internal medicine physician from the US, this is because physical rest is only one of seven types of rest. In a world where the “always on” culture dominates, the lines between work and rest are blurring. A person being always available is more possible than ever. However, this leads to exhaustion, which in turn can cause burnout.
Mental rest
Every action a person performs requires a dose of energy. A person’s brain is constantly processing information, making decisions, analyzing. Mental rest is when a person lets thoughts wander. This happens during meditation or mindfulness, the practice that brings one back to the present moment through brief exercises.
Emotional break
Emotional rest means allowing oneself to feel and express one’s emotions rather than holding back. It means seeking support when one needs it and distancing oneself from emotionally distressing situations. This can lead to improved emotional intelligence, better relationships and a greater sense of inner peace.
For people whose profession requires caring for others, emotional rest is of great importance.
Sensory rest
People spend countless hours a day in front of screens and out in their surroundings seeing bright lights and colors from advertisements and other means of communication. Sensory rest consists of spending more time in nature, putting the phone aside for a while, spending time in silence.
Creative rest
For creative thinking to be enhanced, people also need creative rest. Whether this involves painting or writing, or going to a museum, a play or a concert, this type of break brings joy and recharge.
Social rest
For people whose day involves socializing with lots of people, a break in solitude is probably more recharging. Extroverts, who feel comfortable at events among many and unfamiliar people, recharge when socializing with others in social settings.
Spiritual rest
Connecting to something larger than one person, such as religion, or joining a community with a cause help people get out of the routine of everyday life and gain a new perspective
When a person identifies the activities of daily life that require the most energy, he/she can assess what type of rest is needed to fully recover. Rest is not only soothing and restorative, but also energizing and strengthening. It is a way for a person to prepare for the days or weeks ahead.
