6 tips to enjoy rest when struggling to slow down

Resting or slowing down doesn’t mean you are lazy or wasting your time (potential). Try these tips to get some enjoyable relaxation.

Real rest is hard when you are a highly-driven individual, always busy, a perfectionist or generally very active.

It simply goes against your nature or routine, whether you are simply high-strung from habit or have huge reserves of energy. Even when you want to rest, or are sick or injured.

Imagine a speeding object being suddenly stopped. It either breaks or bounces harshly.

Except for people, this crash presents in the form of anxiety, nervous energy, restless mind and sporadic activity.

Eventually, you give up on resting since it feels bad.

Now, if that speeding object is not interrupted, it naturally comes to a stop.

Read on for tips to wind down and rest.

1. What you need to learn is rest not to become better

Since you are naturally predisposed to be on the go or busy, what you need to learn is to rest.

Think about it this way: you are instinctively ready for any challenge and having anything to do is what motivates you. So you don’t have to worry about that part of yourself.

Your biggest challenge, ironically, is to learn how to rest. Even when it is the last thing you want to do. Don’t force yourself to rest but become good at it.

2. Rest allows you to appreciate your work

Don’t force yourself to rest, instead negotiate with yourself to get off time. Create rest moments and routines within your active routine.

And instead of rewarding yourself with rest, try rewarding your rest with activity. “If I rest, I get to do this” and then don’t worry about anything else.

By the time you choose that activity, it means it is most important to you or at the time.

Appreciate what you have achieved or done so far.

3. You will not lose your drive

Remind yourself often that what you want to do will always be there and it will always come. Resting might feel like giving up control of how it will turn out or how you will handle it.

But this is only a trick of the mind. You have mastered this enough to return to it. Resting is not forever and it will only make you appreciate the return of activity more.

4. Change up the routine

Resting can be in the form of taking a break from your usual activity or routine. There’s always something to do that requires less energy and doesn’t fill your body with stress hormones.

This doesn’t mean that the new activity should be tame or slow. It just has to be different. It is all about feeding that part of your brain that loves the challenge or is busy.

5. Get sub-projects

Understand your seasons of high activity and low or no activity. During the latter seasons, adopt projects that support major activity or busyness.

Is there something that will support you or help you when you return to being active? Is there someone else that needs your experience or expertise? Is there something you always wanted to try but you were “too busy to do”?

6. Embrace your drive

Rest is your obstacle. But channelling your energy, motivation, and commitment towards it is counterproductive. It feels like bending your willpower. But that is exactly what your body wants you to do.

To have the courage, patience, and acceptance to make changes. Your toughness is even more important here to keep away things that try to interrupt your rest or recovery.