Much of what we see in the new year encourages movement.
New goals and habits.
A fresh start to assignments at work.
Staying on top of the housework that got under control over the holidays.
The energy is there to move.
The downside is that we can forget to rest, and stress can set in.
I listened to a podcast where Judith Willis from UCLA said:
“A daily ritual to rest is not self-care.”
Her point was that self-care is often considered to be things like a hot bath or a spa day.
Daily rest is needed to lower stress.
My Perspective
I believe that our minds need rest to solve problems and think creatively.
If we are always spending time IN our problems, we aren’t solving them.
To work ON the problem, take a break and think about it.
Stop doing.
Breathe.
Ask questions to discover alternative approaches.
Sort out priorities.
Create a plan – for the rest of the day, next hour, or next 15 minutes.
Seeing progress can help our stress lower as we begin to feel in control.
Your Turn
Do you recognize when stress is setting in?
How could you add some rest at this moment to create a plan?
With a plan and some things accomplished, do you feel stress levels go down?