All of the podcasts I love were emphasizing the importance of rest recently. The reminder to rest hit home, and I’ll be doing just that next week!
Do you ever have those days where you feel like the universe is trying to tell you something?
Recently I was listening to all my favorite podcasts, and one after another the topic was the same: REST.
Maybe it’s this time of year, or maybe the Law of Attraction decided to send a message my way: a reminder to rest.
Jenna Kutcher on Rest
This episode of the Goal Digger Podcast was spot on about entrepreneurs not taking time to rest and recharge because the lines are so blurry between work and home.
Jenna said most entrepreneurs take a week of vacation a year, and that week often comes with reluctance and guilt.
“Rest is an active choice,” she said.
While I do not claim to be a workaholic or in a career I don’t appreciate every day, I can say that over the course of my 14-ish years of blogging I can think of maybe 1-2 weeks total that I didn’t log on in some shape or form, whether that was actually writing posts or keeping up with comments and email.
I will add that I usually work on vacation because I want to not because I have to. But Jenna says that shouldn’t matter. Unplugging is necessary.
She recommends 4 weeks a year where you are totally 100% unplugged. The rest is more about being offline than it is traveling to exotic destinations. Staycations count too!
I love this quote from her:
“Make sure you’re not sacrificing your life in order to make a living.”
Choose FI Podcast on Rest
The literal next podcast episode that played for me was from my favorite Choose FI podcast, and the theme was work-life balance.
The episode brought up the idea of a Red X month. Brad and Jonathan take the month of August off of their business to travel, unplug, and reset. They literally put a red X on the calendar so nothing can be scheduled.
The episode also mentioned “sneaking back to the computer” on the regular at the cost of family time – something I have been known to do.
We know that one of the goals of the FI movement is to be able to choose to work rather than feel that you have to. But does that lead to other problems, like work-life balance issues?
What’s Essential Podcast on Rest
Then the next podcast that played is a new-to-me podcast about Essentialism.
I first heard Greg McKeown speak on another podcast, and I immediately connected with the word essentialism. I often talk about minimalism, but minimalism often implies living with the bare minimum. Living bare bones has never been my goal, but essentialism as a concept made sense to me immediately: Remove the fluff from your life and spend your energy on the things that are most essential.
Check out Greg’s books: Effortless and Essentialism.
In the episode Rest: The Art of Doing Nothing, Greg talks about how those who identify as overachievers have a harder time resting than working. Going back to Jenna’s quote “Rest is an active choice” I could feel the same themes popping up again.
It is hard for me to sit and do nothing. I like to produce, to accomplish, and to check things off a list. So much so that I will often add things to my completed list just to keep accomplishing and working ahead. The only time I really sit and do nothing is Saturday nap time for Birch, which is when I often have to force myself to read.
I do not share this as a humble brag about work ethic – I am not the world’s hardest working person (far from it!). But I bring this all up because it’s how my brain is wired. As they are saying, it is hard for me to turn my brain off and unplug. It is not my natural tendency.
I also don’t think you need a high-powered CEO job to know you need to rest.
Whether you’re a CEO, a surgeon, or a mom of 4 running a household, everyone needs and deserves rest.
In the very next episode titled Optimizing Your Life with Deliberate Recovery, Dr. Greg Wells said “Rest is a responsibility.” Burnout is not a badge of honor.
He then went on to recommend a 1,2,3 approach:
- 1 hour a day to rest the mind: spend time in nature, socialize, work on a hobby, read, meditate, move your body.
- 2 days per month to completely unplug (this could be one weekend or 2 different days).
- 3 weeks per year to make yourself unreachable. (That word is scary to me!)
It’s a myth that you have to work hard to play hard and that you have to suffer to deserve rest.
Reminder To Rest
Next week we’ll be heading to the beach with my family.
Normally there are laptops scattered about, “morning times” scheduled where we get up before the kids to catch up online, phones out at cocktail hour.
Each year that passes this seems to get a little bit worse.
I am DETERMINED to unplug this week.
And while I am sure you will see some Instagram posts (which I will argue take me 2 minutes to publish 😆 ) I’m hoping to take a week off.
No posts are scheduled – because that would just mean I’d be checking comments and publish times!
It doesn’t make sense to me to work extra hard the week before and the week after a trip just to rest in the middle.
Rest recharges us. It helps us thinking more clearly, prioritize what’s important in both our business and our life, and gives us a greater appreciation for the things we have. The rest isn’t so much about not working as it is about filling your rest time with enriching activities that you otherwise wouldn’t “have time for.”
I’ll see you on the other side with some recaps, hopefully feeling as relaxed as this woman!
Emma says
Our culture is the worst at this! Thank you for this post – go rest and recharge next week! Your followers will still be here when you get back!
Elisa says
I’m at the beach right now (Oak Island, NC) Sitting in bed with coffee- something I never do with two kids. I can’t wait to pick up where I left off with this fabulous book: The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett. We’ve spent the last three days at the beach, ate yummy fried fish( a must in these parts) and soaked in the sun. Yesterday I had my laptop out and my six year old asked me why I was working? I said I needed to get a few things done. That was true, but I promise my phone is going away for the rest of the day. And it did. And it was awesome! Enjoy your trip and family time!
Kath Younger says
We are headed there too!!
Elisa Wadsworth says
We’ve been coming here for about 9 years and while it’s getting more popular it still feels like a quiet family place. The dunes are rebuilt so be prepared to hike a bit over to the beach. SweetTreat has the best ice cream ever! Hope y’all have a great time!
Kath Younger says
Awesome! Thanks for the recommend!
Andie says
I looooved that book. Enjoy!
Liz Piasecki says
You sooooo deserve to rest! I’ll be doing the same the following week, so I guess I’ll reconnect with KATH in two weeks! Enjoy your beach time!
Kath Younger says
Haha enjoy!!
Kathryn says
Have a fun. Not on Insta, will have to wait for the real deal. Rest well, Kath
K~
Suzannah says
I hope you have a fun vacation. I certainly agree that everyone needs time to get away from work. You mention entrepreneurs in your post, but what are your suggestions for those of us who work for a business or some other kind of setting where we have to answer to a boss and where paid time off is limited. (And lots of people do not get any paid time off.) How do we fully escape from work and not risk getting fired?
Kath Younger says
I would recommend seeking out podcasts, blogs, or support groups directly for those who work full time and lean in there. The “What’s Essential” podcast and Gretchin Rubin’s “Happier” podcast aren’t particularly for traditional jobs, but they aren’t just for entrepreneurs and talk about little ways to improve upon life.
Sarah says
This is a really good point, and something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. It may not be realistic to disappear for weeks at a time, but even a day off here and there to recharge can help. I’m working on the parts of my schedule I can control, and hoping that will help me to avoid burnout. I do make a point of not having my work email on my phone so the only time I can check it is when I am working. Many of my colleagues maintain this isn’t realistic, but so far, it hasn’t caused any of the predicted problems. That depends so much on the individual workplace though, I’m lucky that my bosses work hard to respect our time, which I know doesn’t always happen. I do get paid leave, which is a huge help, and I make sure to use it, even if I’m just staying home. When so many aren’t lucky enough to have it, I refuse to waste it. I’d be interested to hear how other people working for employers (rather than self-employed- the pressures there are different) deal with this.
Ruthie says
Have a great vacation!
Kerry says
It’s so important. Our brains really do re wire when we put technology away and we can notice things about our kids and spouse and converse. Have a good time.
Andrea says
Enjoy!! I highly encourage this!! I have become really good at rest and doing nothing in my off time aside from play with my five year old and care for my animals. I’m a doctor in a hospital so have very clear boundaries between work and home. I like to say I am the queen of outsourcing, saying NO and not feeling guilty about it!! (recognizing I am SUPER privileged to be able to do that). My husband is awful at saying no and outsourcing!! He is learning 😉
Kath Younger says
That is awesome!
Andie says
Are you an enneagram 3? I am and also struggle with rest. Must be productive! I will literally put “read 30 min” on my To Do list so I feel okay about just sitting and doing that. I’m working on it. Lol.
Kath Younger says
Yes!!!
Kim D. says
I really need a rest right now. Not optional.
Taylor says
I listened to Glennons podcast episode about ‘Fun’ and they said that rest AND play are the antidote to depression. I’m determined this will be my summer of play and pleasure — something I don’t do well without guilt. But if we adults don’t get it, it comes out in much worse ways.
Kath Younger says
So true.