How to REALLY Rest and Relax

WORDS: Beverley Le Cuirot Founder, WellBeing World

In this non-stop world of ours, do we really know how to rest and relax? If you are anything like me, you’ll find it really difficult to turn off your busy brain and really chill out.

When I’m not ‘at work’, I’m ‘doing things’, tidying up, cleaning, ironing, picking up socks, feeding the cat, grocery shopping, fixing, mending, and so on … picture the scene, I know you can, we all can … this becomes our ‘time off ’, if we’re not careful.

Holidays are times to rest and recuperate, surely? Do you pack lots in, seeing new places, doing new things, trying out new adventures? It all sounds wonderful, but do you REALLY rest? Are you ever truly still? Do you feel guilty if you’re not constantly on the go?

Kris Carr, the best-selling transformational author and filmmaker, calls it ‘Putter Rest’ which she says ‘tricks us into thinking we’re chillin’, but what we’re really doing is filling our time with chores and errands, and never pausing long enough to restore our energy supply’. She has a point.

There will always be things to do and sort, but if we allow our ‘to do list’ to take over our lives, we will burnout … eventually. This is why we highlighted the importance of self-care in our last edition. We should not feel guilty about looking after ourselves. Selfcare is not selfish, it’s the most selfless thing we can do; it heals our bodies, strengthens our immune systems, and gives us the vital energy and resources to look after ourselves and others.

So how do we REALLY rest? And when?

We all deserve a break and that is why our theme for this edition is Relaxation … REAL Relaxation. Here’s how:

Plan a real holiday – it doesn’t matter if it’s on a sun-drenched beach in Hawaii, on the top of the highest mountain, or in your own back garden, taking at least four or five consecutive days off will dramatically lower your stress levels, allowing your creativity and bliss to resurface.

Take a mental siesta – instead of making constant to-do lists, schedule in just 10 minutes every day to tune into the moment. This could be a restorative morning meditation, sitting quietly on a park bench after lunch, or driving in your car and listening to your favourite tunes.

Do more of what you love – for a few days at least, scale back on one or two chores that are not absolutely necessary (ironing) and spend twice as much time on one or two activities you really enjoy.

Hit pause and sharpen the saw – if you are feeling overwhelmed, take time for self-care, this will help you to focus and make you more productive in the long run.

Stop the constant multi-tasking – one thing at a time is more efficient (note to self!).

Remember to breathe – in on a count of 4, hold for a count of 7, and out for a count of 8 … you will immediately feel calm and reduce your stress levels.

If you do a lot of intellectual work, you will need physical activity and to unplug intellectually (to get out of our heads and into our bodies). If you do a lot of physical work, you need to relax physically and stimulate yourself intellectually (to keep the brain receptors active).

Split your rest into physical activity and relaxation in order to boost your energy levels. Relaxation comes first, physical activity second. Your primary goal should be physical energy and recovery; all types of energy are important, although without physical energy you will be unable to take on big emotional or intellectual challenges.

• Sleep, relaxation and exercise give you physical energy.

• Mindfulness, experience and knowledge give you intellectual energy.

• Trust, friends and family give you emotional energy.

• Goals, dreams and fulfilment give you motivational energy.

"The key to radical wellbeing is about eating healthfully, moving our bodies, sleeping for recovery, and learning to relax."

Think of your body as a car you use to move through life. How far you get in life and how quickly you can get there depends on how well you take care of your car. Want to avoid a breakdown? The key to radical wellbeing is about eating healthfully, moving our bodies, sleeping for recovery, and learning to relax. It can keep your ‘car’ going, too …

1. Fuel (Eat) – Food is your fuel – water, nuts, fruit, vegetables, fresh meat and fish, not junk or processed foods, and avoiding acidic, allergenic and addictive foods. Eat to take care of your body and your brain.

2. Exercise (Move) – Our bodies are designed to move, which is why studies show that we think more clearly when we exercise. Without exercise, our car rusts. When it rusts, we feel demotivated and exhausted.

3. Recovery (Sleep) – A good night’s sleep is the absolute minimum you owe to your body every day. You wouldn’t run your car every day without stopping, it would overheat, and so when you sleep, your body recovers so you can keep going.

4. Breaks (Relax) – Our body is not designed to work for 8 hours straight. You need to take 15 minute breaks every hour. If you do a lot of intellectual work, eat or go for a walk during breaks. If you do manual labour, eat or take a break to stimulate the brain.

If you’re tired and exhausted, you have to give your body a chance to recover. REAL rest is the answer.