Four tips for building rest into your day

I love time management. I love it not because it allows me to do more but because it allows me more time to do things I want. 

One of the ways I maximize my time management is to create an ideal week and then structure my week as close to this as possible. 

When building your ideal week, start with 168 hours and then ask yourself how you want to spend that 168 hours. 

Once we know how to spend it, we map it. 

Some of the things I recommend going into the 168 hours are: 

• Sleep – lots of it.  
• Social – we all need connection.
• Family – uninterrupted time with your partner and kids. 
• Rest – this includes breaks durning the day and time for rest.
• Buffer – nothing ever goes exactly the way we plan. 

Did the rest and buffer surprise you?  

Have you ever gone to bed, felt like you had a great night’s sleep, and still woke up feeling drained and exhausted the following day?  

If you said yes, you likely need more than just a good night’s sleep; you need rest. 

We all can push through exhaustion to meet a deadline or manage a difficult time. However, this cannot be a long-term strategy.  

Our brains were never designed to be endlessly productive. It was designed to move between periods of focus and unfocus.  

It is durning periods of rest, play, and relaxation; our brains work on solving problems, consolidating memories, and solidifying learnings.  

This is why I prioritize rest for myself and my clients. Here are four tips for building rest into your day. 

Tip 1: use technology to help you

I’ve written about the Pomodoro technique. This will ensure I take regular breaks, including a more extended break after four pomodoros. When it’s time to rest, walk away from what you are doing. Let your eyes rest and move your body.  

Durning my longer pomodoro breaks, I’ve been known to stand by my patio door or go outside (weather dependent) to enjoy the view and let my mind wander.  

Many apps can help with the Pomodoro technique or at least remind you to take a break or move.   Use them.  

Tip 2: Rest early and often

Don’t wait until you feel depleted to rest—plan for rest.  

There are two ways I plan for rest: 

• Breaks durning the day. I schedule breaks after big tasks or big chunks of tasks.
  • For example, I will use the Pomodoro technique to write, review, and post this blog. However, I have a planned break after it is done.  
• Plan for days off. I regularly schedule breaks. Every month I have a planned “guilty pleasure day.” This usually happens on a Sunday, and it is a day I can do whatever I want (as can my husband). Each quarter we plan “rest weeks.” These are weeks we limit our meetings and allow for more time to read, rest and do things together.   Determine what will work for you and plan it. And even if you don’t think you have time, start with something small and work your way to something bigger. 

Tip 3: Create “hard” stops

Setting a “hard” stop to your day can be difficult, especially If you work from home. But setting the boundary and stopping when you commit to it will help you focus when working. It’s easier to stay focused when you know your time is finite than when you have “all night.” 

If you work from home, I recommend creating a process that puts you into work mode and helps you move into rest mode. 

For example, I grab my tea, sit at my desk and do my day open process. That is my signal that I’m starting my work day. At the end of my day, I do my day-close process.  

I also recommend knowing your energy levels and building your boundaries around that. 

Tip 4: Plan blocks of recharge time

Plan time in your week to do things that recharge you. 

Do you like to go for a walk in nature or hike? Plan for it. 

Do you like to do creative things? Plan for it.  

Do you need a break from technology? Plan for it. 

Do you recharge while moving/exercising? Plan for it. 

However, you recharge, build it into your week. Then like any other commitment/appointment, honour it!  

Scheduling time to rest, recharge, and recover regularly will help you stay focused and productive.   It will allow you to be your best when you show up and be there for your clients. 

If we wait until we are depleted to rest, it takes longer.  

What do you do to build rest into your day? Is there anything you will do differently now?  

Stop asking if you have worked hard enought to allow yourself to rest.

Start asking if you are rested enought to allow you to do the work.

Unkown

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