Over the holiday, I read the book “Rest – Why You Get More Done When You Work Less” by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. This seemed to be the perfect pairing to time away from work.
The book highlights how work and rest are partners for those who lead creative lives. Examples are given from many prominent figures like Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Bill Gates, and John Lubbock.
Early in the book, the author covers how our current work lives are often in conflict with the concept of rest. He states that you “have to resist the lure of busyness, make time for rest, take it seriously, and protect it from a world that is intent on stealing it”.
Dimensions of Rest
The book covers 9 dimensions of rest. Each of these could easily be turned into their own posts. However, below is a brief summary of the dimensions:
- Morning Routine – Creative people work the same hours of the day, every day, often seven days a week. The book called this a “morning routine”. I would focus on the routine vs. time of day.
- Walk – A walk provides time to clear the mind or get a fresh perspective on a problem.
- Naps – Short 20-minute power naps are good for boosting alertness and mental clarity.
- Stop – This technique is to always leave something in your project unfinished at the end of the day so that the work is easier to pick up and go in the morning.
- Sleep – Sleep not only serves as the time our bodies repair and store energy, but also a time to work on problems that have been occupying our waking minds.
- Recovery – Recovery is downtime when you aren’t working both during normal weeks and vacations. This time is active, not passive, and can be designed to maximize the benefit.
- Exercise – Exercise is not only good for healthy aging, but can increase brain power, boost intelligence, and provide stamina and resilience that is necessary for creative work.
- Deep Play – Deep play represents our hobbies. These can range from tinkering and making things, to pursuits like mountain climbing and photography.
- Sabbaticals – The final dimension is sabbaticals. These can range from a long weekend to a year or two. When done with intention, these can be restorative and even life-changing.
Summary
Overall, I thought this was a great book to think about the dimensions of rest and how those are not in opposition to work, but rather in partnership with work.
Designed appropriately, we can maximize the creativity of our work by strategically planning our rest.
Your Turn
Do you consciously plan your rest times?
What are your forms for recovery and deep play?
How do exercise and sleep work into your daily routines?
Have you ever gone on sabbatical? What would you do?