Reintroducing Rest: Stop “Pushing Through”

I’m going to be honest. I’m writing this blog on 5 and a half hours of sleep, which has become the norm over the last few weeks. I haven’t been keeping up with my exercise regimen. The recent pages of my journal are blank. I’m totally and utterly fried.

Here’s a quick recap of my last 30 days:

• 5 members of my family came down with Covid at the same time, one of which was my daughter.
• I lost and helped plan the funeral for a close family member.
• My husband and I have helped a family friend and his son secure, furnish, and coordinate an interstate move to a new apartment (with a TON of help from our family and friends).
• My daughter started school – like, real school for the first time ever…and then 48 hours later was quarantined due to Covid.
• My businesses have grown by about 900% compared to December 2020. We are 3 full-time people short.
• My computer died. For you remote workers, you will get that this is a showstopper.

I have powered through all the above, and my body and mind are screaming at me to slow. It. Down. Time to listen.

I’m sure every reader here has experienced a season like the one above. And as important as all these things are, one important thing is missing: rest. In talking with friends and family, I find that almost all of us undervalue the importance of downtime. Science backs up what we already know deep down. Rest helps keep your mind sharp. It helps stabilize your mood. It even plays a role in weight loss. It’s critical to pretty much every system of your body. Yet so many of us “push through,” ignoring our body’s needs.

I want to encourage you to stop pushing through. My fellow recovering perfectionists are cringing right now. We all go through seasons where we must take care of our family and commitments, but if this is an ongoing pattern, it’s likely time to make some difficult choices to allow you to operate at your best.

One of my team’s favorite stories about me is the time I paid the CEO of my first company to go on vacation. I don’t mean I gave her PTO. I mean I actually told her I would give her $500 if she did not answer emails or texts from clients or co-workers for 7 days. She was burnt out and it was affecting her performance at work, not to mention her overall mental health. She needed to let her mind rest. She needed to restore her body and soul. She successfully completed the challenge and came back a new person. Rest can be that transformative.

One of the reasons so many of our luxury branded corporate gifts are rest and relaxation themed is because there are so many people who need more downtime in their lives. I love the idea of offering relaxation in a box. Our wellness boxes are great for those who already have a rest regimen, or as a little nudge for those who need to have one.

For those of us who have lost sight of rest, let me tell you (and myself!), it’s time. Time to go to bed early. Time to get back to exercise. Time to do meditation. Time to read a book, enjoy a slow cup of tea, or take a spa-worthy hot bath with bath bombs and a clay mask. Time to regain control of your schedule. Time to feel like the “real you.”

What can you do today to help restore your mind and body?