Why rest is part of the Work

Whether you're employed, self-employed, parenting, or anything in between, we are all so busy these days. It’s easy to feel like every quiet moment is a missed opportunity, a chance to do one more task, and tick off one more list item. It’s easy to feel like you can only rest when the work is finished. But, are we ever finished?

Focus has its time and place

There are days when I can feel the focus kick in — when my energy is charged and I’m deep in creating, planning, drawing, or doing the less glamorous parts of business like packing orders, sorting the office, invoicing etc.
Those days feel powerful. Productive. Like I've done good valuable work.

But those focused days can’t be every day. And they shouldn’t be.

Rest is a necessity

Taking a step back from the to-do list, from the notifications, even from the creative process makes space for other things. Things like fun of course! But also clarity, perspective and new ideas, or possibly just the energy to keep going the next day and catch up another time with renewed energy.

Rest doesn’t need to be earned

As a solo business owner, there's a sense of responsibility that runs constantly in the background. If I'm not working, the business stops. Therefore it can often feel like rest has to be earned. Whether it's that I need to hit a certain milestone or finish a project, or reach a target, there's always something needing my attention, and there's nobody there to say, hey, take a break.

Yes, we need to motivate ourselves and make sure the work is done, but we also need to walk away from it every now and then and "leave it at the office".

Saying no to guilt

It's important that we give ourselves permission to pause even when there are things still left undone, and we need to not feel bad about that. There’s a strange guilt that can creep in when you’re not being visibly productive. But over time I’ve noticed something: the days I slow down are often followed by a wave of creativity or energy I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Rest before you need it

Our minds and bodies have funny little ways to tell us we need a break. When we ignore them, they don't tend to be too happy about that and will generally send a clearer signal the next time. My advice? Don't wait until you're forced to rest. Rest regularly and treat yourself with respect and kindness.

Úna
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