I’m sure we can all understand the excitement (or anxiety) of starting new projects, whether it’s at school, work, or home. We want to prove to others, and maybe even ourselves, that we can complete everything set before us in a timely manner.
In a society where we’re often pushed this concept that our worth is tied directly to our capacity and productivity, it’s easy to forget that we’re allowed to rest. In fact, we need to take time to rest. This unspoken notion that you need to earn rest is pushed upon us: you need to complete all your tasks first and then you can take a break on the weekend. But allowing yourself to rest is an integral part of that productivity. I know it sounds a bit backwards, but hear me out.
The comparison I like to use is machines. Machines can go a long time without pause, however, even they need to rest—to power down and have maintenance done to keep running smoothly in the long term. In effect, short-term breaks lead to long-term functionality. This ensures the machine functions for longer before being replaced.
The parts of your body are like the components of a machine. Your organs and muscles? They need rest to recover after use. If you don’t maintain regular maintenance for your body, just like a machine, parts will fail or break. However, we aren’t remotely as durable as most machines; we can’t run nearly as long before we break. So, if even machines need pauses or breaks, why wouldn’t we afford ourselves the same consideration?
Don’t get me wrong, though: rest doesn’t just mean sleep (although sleep is critical to the maintenance of your body’s inner workings, as it’s the primary time you can heal and rejuvenate). Rest also means just doing things that are low energy, low stress, and low impact.
Do you enjoy watching a movie or reading a book? Going for a swim at the beach or lake? Spending time with your best friend? Playing video games? While these may engage parts of you, the demand is minimal and therefore they still allow rest.
Your body needs this kind of rest; it will not run forever without it. I consider it up there with oxygen, food, and water—we cannot survive long without these components. And if you’re still not convinced, then here’s a hard truth: the recovery period from letting yourself reach injury or burnout is much longer than if you just gave yourself 15 minutes here or there. If you let yourself hit that point, your body is going to make you rest, regardless of whether or not you want to.
So, if you’re the type who struggles to let yourself slow down, consider this your permission slip. You don’t need to earn it; you have the right and the need to rest.