Rest & Reflection
If you’ve made it this far into the year, then congratulations you’re halfway to the festive seasons and if you’re like us, surviving the end of the financial year is also a big deal. At this point of the year you may start to feel a bit tired and look towards booking that next holiday, or even taking a holiday shortly to escape the wintery weather. Often we are so busy with work life, family life and social life, we don’t even stop for a moment to catch our breath. Throw in our modern lifestyle with social media, technology and all of a sudden it’s almost impossible for our bodies and brains to get some rest. So let’s look at what resting actually means and some benefits associated with having proper rest.
Most of us believe by going home, sitting on the sofa and watching TV whilst using our IPads is considered having a rest. With all these devices and entertainment distracting us, are we really getting that required break? Although we aren’t using the same level of concentration whilst watching TV and been on a tablet, effectively our brains haven’t switched off at all. Resting actually means switching off all devices, sitting down with a cup of coffee and emptying your brain of all thoughts. You may find it surprising but recent studies have in-fact found that being bored is actually the best way to rest. If this doesn’t work for you then perhaps taking the time to talk to the people around you. Chatting to your partner, kids or that old friend that you’ve been meaning to catch up with may also help you rest. Everyone has different ways they like to rest; the all-important fact is to disengage from your day to day routine.
Getting a decent break from your day to day stresses also provides many mental and physical benefits such as;
Contemplating and daydreaming – Resting your brain will give you the chance to contemplate certain things in your life and allows you to day dream, which relaxes the brain. Often we hear authors with writers block needing to stop what they’re doing and go for a walk to get inspired. Clearing your head will also build your creativity.
Provides time to reflect – With our busy lifestyles, we often focus so much on what lies ahead that we don’t even stop to reflect on other aspects of our lives. Slowing down will give you the opportunity to reflect on your achievements, on family and friends or even on your personal health.
Improved physical health – If you’re like me and want to improve your physical wellbeing, eating and exercising right is not enough. One of the most important factor is rest, which plays a role in improving physical wellbeing as well. Research has shown that a good night’s rest plays a crucial role to assist in weight loss and better mental health.
Rather than turning towards the people around us and ourselves to seek rest, we often turn to external sources such as social media to distract ourselves. With so much going on in our modern lifestyles we barely get the chance to reflect on what’s really important in our lives. Ask yourself when the last time you took the kids camping, or when was the last time you were able to go 1 week without TV and the mobile phone. If the answer is “not in a long time” then perhaps it’s time you get some rest.
– Andy Lay –