The need to rest is a fundamental aspect of our design. Many of us look for ways to overcome this “limitation.” I, for one, dearly love caffeine, preferring espresso as an efficient delivery mechanism. We admire people we see who manage to get by on a few hours’ sleep a night.
Our scarcity mindsets lead us to believe that every hour is precious. Oliver Burkeman reminds us we only have 4,000 weeks on this earth. We have Warren Zevon to thank for the quote “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
And yet, we cannot survive without sufficient rest. A mountain of research demonstrates the benefits of allowing your body the rest it needs to perform optimally.
The need for rest isn’t hard to recognize. Our bodies know when we need rest and give us plenty of warning signs. Our challenge is our brains. We are always trying to outthink our bodies. We rely on willpower to overcome the warning signs and “power through.”
I’ve been receiving warning signs for a while now, and it’s time I honor those signs. Not that I need to rest physically – I heed those signs and get plenty of sleep.
For me, it’s time to rest from this writing. For the past few years, this blog has usually written itself. The ideas have flowed freely, and I was never short on topics. I typically draft the post during the week and finalize it on Sunday. Over the past few weeks, I’ve drafted and finalized my blog on Sunday. This is not because my week has been too packed to write it earlier. I simply haven’t had the inspiration.
And so, I am taking a rest and permitting myself to step off the weekly blog train for a period of time. I can’t say how long I’ll rest. If the mood strikes me, I’ll put something out, but I won’t post unless I have something that feels worth saying.
I am grateful for those who have read this blog and for all the encouragement I’ve received over the years.
Putting It Into Practice
Is there an aspect of your life where you need rest? Move past your thinking brain and listen to your heart and your gut. Allow your body and soul to rest when it asks.
I am an executive coach and life coach with software executive roots in higher education and EdTech. I coach because I love to help others accelerate their growth as leaders and humans. I frequently write about #management, #leadership, #coaching, #neuroscience, and #arete. For an AI-powered search of the blog archives, please visit The Aretist.
If you would like to learn more, schedule time with me.
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