Stress, busyness and commitments of all sorts (those involving work or play) have become badges of honor in our society. Rarely are people praised for carving out time for rest or putting boundaries around what they will and will not commit to. Oftentimes when we run into friends or acquaintances in the grocery store or at an event the conversation goes something like this:

“How are you doing?”

“We are good.  Just busy!”

Busyness in itself is not bad. And in recent years I have even begun trying to adopt the phrase, “My life is full,” versus, “I am so busy.” Thinking of my life as being full of the people and activities that I value is a more life-giving way for me to think about my schedule than just “being busy.”

Having said that, down-time, rest and self-care are absolutely essential to good mental health. A book I recently read about taking one day a week to intentionally practice self-care and rest put a spin on the idea of rest or taking a day each week to re-charge. The author noted that rest does not always actually mean physical rest even though rest can absolutely mean taking a nap. I remember my parents taking Sunday afternoon naps almost every week when I was little and I now know this is because their bodies needed it. However, rest can be so much more than sleep. Some may find rest by walking their dog, sitting in a coffee shop and journaling or making a meal from scratch. Rest is a creative idea and we get to choose what it looks like for us. What we do to rest may also change depending on our age, life season and circumstances.

To prioritize rest, one must start with self-examination.  Here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. Do I have time set aside each week that allows me to rest?
2. Do the activities on my schedule match my values. In other words, am I spending time doing things that are meaningful to me or are there things on my schedule that I do that are simply there?
3. Do I feel rested?  If I have time set aside to rest and do things I love, is it enough?
4. Is there anything on my schedule I would cut out if given the chance?

Once you have answered these questions, you should have a good idea of what you need when it comes to rest. If you need more time for self-care in your life, ask yourself if there is anything you can mark off of your to-do list. For example, can you have your groceries delivered every other week to save time on the road? Can you quit the neighborhood book club since you never really wanted to attend anyway? Can you take a real break at work during the day—even if it is for 20 minutes to sit outside or take a walk? Try to think of any responsibilities you can either outsource or quit altogether.

The next step is identifying when you will care for yourself each week. Will you carve out time each day, a few times each week or all day on Sundays? What will renewing yourself look like? I will expound on these in next month’s blog on this same topic, but some great ways to practice self-care and de-stress include the following:  exercising, stretching, meditating, breath work, somatic work, counseling, journaling and positive affirmations.

For now, take inventory and see what in your life needs to change so that you feel more rested and better able to handle stress as it comes in life. If you need the support of a mental health counselor, we would be honored to help. Please contact Life Enhancement Counseling Services today at 407-443-8862 to schedule an appointment.