Three kinds of rest everyone must learn & practice.

“I usually need one more day off after a vacation. It prepares me functionally for the work.” said Rashmi to her friend Prerna. Being not convinced with the statement, Prerna asked “Rashmi I didn’t understand the utility of one more day off. Is the vacation not enough? Why do you need one more day off?”

Rashmi smiled and replied, “Prerna, Over the years I have been able to figure out a few important aspects of life. One of those things is, sometimes you realize that a vacation is not enough, sometimes eight hours of sleep is not enough, sometimes watching a movie of your choice is not enough and the list goes on. It does not mean that I am not difficult enough to become happy. It simply means that you need various kinds of rest at different points of life. When you truly accept and understand yourself, you will be able to provide yourself the exact kind of rest you need.”

Many of us can identify with Rashmi and her thoughts. Because we all have limited energy, we all get exhausted, and we all need rest. Rest is natural and depriving ourselves of the needed rest is counterproductive. Studies show a sharp decline in productivity, a steep rise in burn out when people do not consider rest as an essential element at work.

There is a reason we do not give the rest its due importance. Because society around us considers rest as a leisure activity or an absence of work. When you ask someone ‘What are you doing now?’ and he replies ‘Nothing, I am resting today.’ You immediately assume and ask, “No work?” The subconscious bias towards action orientation makes us stand against rest. Be it books, social media or corporate world, everyone is talking about taking action, being busy, becoming productive, achieving results etc. Still people get severely stressed, some develop medical issues as well and doctors describe it as lifestyle disease.

Taking rest is a skill and like any other skill we need to learn & practice it. Recent work in neuroscience emphasizes the need and significance of taking rest. It shows how taking proper rest has been beneficial for making effective decisions, developing innovative ideas, and?solving critical problems at work. The benefits are equally reflected in our social life as well. A well-rested individual is more capable of carrying on conversation and solving conflicts as and when needed.

How to take a rest?that works optimally for you?

Three ways you can take rest depending on your need and priorities.

1.??????Mental Rest: Amit a charted accountant by profession takes a mental rest regularly. In that mental rest period, he says no to any work that needs his cognitive functions like calculating, thinking logically and decision making.

?Some create routine in their everyday life to provide rest to their mental faculties. Routines give rest to your mind because the mind?becomes on auto pilot mode. You can start by establishing a morning or evening routine and see how it helps you.

?2.?????Physical Rest: Athletes, mountaineers and professional players in any sport realize the need and power of rest. Be it recovering from an injury or everyday wear and tear, the body?needs an ample amount of rest to recharge and revive.

For physical rest, sleep alone is not enough. You must add some period of rest in between your schedule. It can be an afternoon nap, it can be enjoying solitude and doing nothing. Some listen to music; some spend time with nature, and some prefer to sit in silence. Choose whatever works for you and repeat it regularly.

3.?????Digital Rest: Much has been studied and said about digital detox and its benefits. We are slowly getting addicted to our smart phones, and it is unhealthy for ourselves and our relationships. Statistics in the year 2023 show a significant drop in buying smart phones. Many successful corporate executives are going back to non-smart small phones.

However, you can start with digital detox for two hours a day. With practice you will be armed with power and resilience to increase the duration of staying away from screen. Not only will it improve your sleep quality, but it will also make you more restful.

Published earlier in the newspaper tabloid "The Desert Trail"