How to Spend Your Sunday
Founders are typically always on-the-go. It is a demanding job and can sometimes feel like an all-consuming lifestyle, leading to your mind always being occupied with thoughts surrounding your company, raising funds, and what is coming next.?
However, it is important that throughout the rollercoaster ride of your start-up journey you schedule in time to rest.
At Founders Taboo we’ve spoken before about the importance of rest and the 7 Types of Rest that everyone needs. Today, we want to focus your attention on how to spend your time off!?
It’s likely that you’ve gotten used to the fast-paced nature of entrepreneurship, that when the time comes for a break you are then faced with the issue of how to switch off. Here, based on the 7 Types of Rest, we want to share some ideas on how you can get all-important rest and utilise your time off.
It is important to note that while we will always say time-off is a priority, we understand and empathise that taking a whole day off is not always easy, especially if you are a founder.. However if you can schedule in some rest, please do, and take inspiration from our guide on How to Spend Your Sunday!
Physical rest is important for our cognitive performance and decision making, two vital functions for founding a company. Therefore, it is crucial to schedule in time to sleep and catch-up on any lost rest from the week! Turn off that alarm (or at least set it for a couple hours later than usual), or set some time to have a mid-afternoon nap.?
Journaling is a great form of mental rest. It is a way to stop thoughts whirring around your mind and express them out onto paper to relieve yourself of the mental strain. Dr James Pennebaker has written many articles on the psychological benefits of expressive writing and journaling for mental health. For some inspiration on journal prompts, take a look here.?
Social rest comes in two forms and depends on your needs at the time.
We would like to invite you to reflect on what you need most at the moment socially: connection with others, or time and space to yourself??
If you need social connection, reach out to a friend! Can you arrange to meet up with them? Or give them a call? Maybe all your friends are away right now. Instead, could you join a fitness or art class and start up a conversation with the other participants?
If your social battery has been drained this week, take time to switch off your phone, politely but firmly say ‘no’ to any plans you have been invited to, and allow yourself some space to recharge.
At first you may think we’ve made the same point twice, but no. Here, we are talking about a deeper level of connection; a connection to your inner self.?
This form of connection is going to be unique to everyone. Ranging from religious, spiritual, and personal, these beliefs help you regain connection with the universe, the higher being you believe in, and align yourself spiritually with the world around you. For someone who is not spiritual or religious, this point still stands. Take time to reconnect with the world, immerse yourself in nature, and ground yourself - meditation is a great practice to achieve this.?
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Building a start-up can be an over stimulating environment. Often surrounded by screens, always in and out of calls and meetings, and potentially travelling around too. As a result, our environments can overwhelm the senses, causing a lot of tension and stress within.?
It’s important to take time away from the screen, away from loud environments and bright lights. Here are some examples on how to create a soothing environment for your senses:?
Sight: Dimming the lights reduces stimulation from your environment.
Sound: Listen to some calming, relaxing music or white/brown/pink noise?
Smell: Treat yourself to a warm bath with essential oils, light a candle, and relax
Touch: Soft and cosy clothes always give a sense of comfort and warmth
Taste: Good, nutritious and tasty food is always a good remedy
Emotions can build up, especially when suppressed or not addressed at the time. Finding a healthy and sustainable way to express and release emotions is an important element of rest and recuperation. If you are currently in therapy, it would be useful to book an appointment here. Or following on from previous points, using journaling or connection with a friend may help you to work through your feelings and express them in a safe space.
Creativity tends to be a big part of a founder’s life. Innovative and inventive, it is important for founders to harness their creative energy and allow for it to flow freely. When was the last time you did something creative just for fun??
Dare yourself to draw outside the lines, dance like nobody's watching, and why not take on a new hobby and craft??
Creative channels not only allow you externalise your emotions, but they are also a great form of escapism as they have the ability to transport you to a different place - both literally and figuratively.