Prioritizing Rest and Play
Rest and Play are Necessities
"It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol." ~Brene Brown
Corporate culture, societal expectations, and "keeping up with the Jones" all contribute to this phenomenon where we, as a society, and especially as women, have a hard time doing the things that our body absolutely needs. We NEED rejuvenating REST and PLAY that unlocks our creativity, empathy, ability to navigate social situations, and general happiness. So how can we better balance work, rest, and play?
Normalizing Rest and Play
Nature vs. Nurture - the two factors responsible for who we are as people today. Some of who we are is in our genes, the rest is a result of how we were raised, the environments we were/are in, and the influences in our lives including people, culture, etc.
As humans we have a need to belong, and that drives us to adapt to our surroundings and take on many societal norms.
One harmful societal norm that continues to grow is hustle culture: a culture where work is important above all else. And while I see more posts and literature about mental wellbeing and sustainable work, I have yet to see it put into practice in any systemic way.
Which means it is up to each of us to find ways to prioritize our own rest and play, and normalize this behavior amongst our families, peers, colleagues, and communities.
"I don't have time to be responsible for another thing!" If that was your initial thought - I hear you. But you also don't have time to keep hustling for your self-worth the way you are. You don't have time to stay overwhelmed, stressed, and perpetually busy.
One day you will wake up and there won't be any more time to do the things you've always wanted to do. If you want to enjoy more of your life, you need to prioritize REST and PLAY.
REST means getting enough sleep to feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to take on your next action. It is important because sleep deprivation is linked to conditions such as depression, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. And for me, it makes me cranky. Yuck.
PLAY means doing things that have no real purpose other than your enjoyment. Research has shown that play increases your creativity, empathy, ability to navigate social situations, and general happiness. Refusing to engage in play can lead to depression.
So how do we swim against the current (or tidal wave) of hustle culture and implement more rest and play?
We deconstruct the limiting beliefs that keep us prioritizing productivity and work over rest and play.
These limiting beliefs often include:
My worth is dependent on my pay, and my pay is indicative of how hard I work
If I am not working, I won't be successful
If I am not working/being productive, I am lazy (which is a myth)
I don't need as much rest as others (I can't tell you how many people are convinced they only need 5-6 hours of sleep, yet every study debunks this)
Play is for children, and only appropriate for adults on vacation
If I am not busy, I could be doing more, which means I am not living up to my full potential
I/my children will be "behind" if I don't do more, sign up for more, etc.
Evaluate which of these limiting beliefs or other thoughts come to mind when you hear someone say you need to rest and play more. Evaluate if they are true, or if they are beliefs handed down to you from your parents, your first job, your colleagues, society, etc.
Then write down a counterargument to any limiting beliefs you have. Limiting beliefs are not true. They are just beliefs that keep us in a cycle.
It is like an elephant in the circus, who as a baby elephant is tied to a small post. At his small size it holds him there. As he grows, he is strong enough to break the wire and walk away, but he believes he can't. His limiting belief keeps him in captivity.
Our own limiting beliefs are most often the reasons we stay stuck in hustle culture. When we expand our view beyond these beliefs, we recognize that there are more possibilities, and we can free ourselves from our current situation.
Think of positive and true counterarguments such as "Rest is a prerequisite to productivity", "Play expands my creativity, empathy, learning, and adaptability", "Rest and play are human rights, not something I have to earn", and "I deserve to enjoy the life I am working so hard for".
Create your own statement, or mantra, and write it down. Every time you find yourself buying into the hustle culture, stop and repeat your mantra to yourself.
Better yet, say it out loud and help normalize rest and play as a pathway to improved health, happiness, purpose, and productivity for everyone around you.
And reply directly to this email with your favorite rest and/or play activity, I love hearing what you all enjoy!
I enjoy reading and getting to bed by 11pm latest (I don't wake up until 7) to stay rested, and I love being outdoors, listening to music, time with friends and family, and going to the beach for play.
This weekend I will be stepping away from work to rest and play with my sister for four days to celebrate her 40th birthday!!!! The hustle culture in me feels like there is too much to do to take this time away. The true inner me knows that it can all wait, and that when I return on Tuesday I will be rested, rejuvenated, and ready to take on whatever is waiting for me.
Cheers to your courage to prioritize rest and play,
Sharon
Create REST and PLAY For Your Summer
Join me and a fabulous group of women for a conversation around creating your stress-free, fun-filled summer! We will create space to think through what rest and play we want to prioritize, and the limiting beliefs and other things that often get in our way.
This is a stress-free, come-as-you-are virtual event on Wednesday May 17th at 7pm. Click HERE to register!
Cher and Carolyn from Inspired Elephant bring Sister Talks to women every month, and this month I will be contributing to the conversation to help everyone get clear on what they truly want this summer and how to create intentionality and boundaries. Together we will create a game plan to achieve the ever-elusive Summer Bliss!
