With the option remote working, we all have more time than ever. Imagine, we freed up our commute time, preparation time, and even some unessential time waster because, well, we’re at home.
With this, it’s easy to find other things to do like spend time with our kids, or get another job to fuel our financial goals. It’s exciting! But the problem is, we might be too excited that we forget to rest.
Guilty of Leisure and Rest
Most highly productive remote workers are guilty of resting and leisure. Why spend time watching Netflix or doing nothing when we can allot that time for our goals?
Also, some people who started remote working because of the pandemic are left with more free time. And they have the same sentiment.
It might be true to some extent. But not resting can take its toll on your overall physical and mental health.
Building Rest Ethic
Rest and relaxation are crucial for our well-being and productivity. You might think that doing nothing will waste your time. But squeezing yourself to the edge will have detrimental effects. And working from home can clearly cause burnout if left unchecked. When you can’t work because of burnout, can you handle the daily repercussions?
That’s why building a solid rest ethic will not only make you healthier but it will also prep you for sustainable productive days ahead.
It can build and bolster your passion. And this breather can even stir up new ideas and inspiration for your craft. But how do you do that?
Acknowledging Rest is Important
First things first. We have a lot of reasons to work until exhaustion. And there are a lot of benefits of resting. But the question is, do you acknowledge these facts?
Do you believe that you deserve rest? That you should have time for rest? If you don’t, it will be difficult to truly take advantage of its benefits. Imagine resting for a few minutes and then getting your phone to answer all your emails and inquiries. What’s the point?
It’s quite challenging, especially for highly busy individuals. But if you want to make a solid rest ethic, you should believe that it can help you in the long run.
Let Go of “Busy” Bragging
On the other hand, some people get their validation from being busy. I mean, you can brag all about it on social media. And feel good about yourself just because you are fully booked. And it’s alright to feel that way.
But then, if you push it to the point that you don’t rest at all, maintaining this status is detrimental to your health.
Let go of your busy bragging. And see your productivity soar higher. After all, it’s better to be busy with results rather than just busy.
Boundaries in Work
Sometimes, it’s the culture that pushes you to be this way. With the blurring boundaries between work and life, some companies demand workers on call. After all, what else can they be doing at home?
Well, you have your life to live outside work. And it should be met with clear boundaries. Express this concern to your supervisor if you can.
But if your workplace is a toxic environment, you might need to prepare yourself financially. So that you can have an option to leave if you can’t take it anymore.
I mean, it’s a choice between quality of life and money. And you can prepare to jump ship if they don’t respect your need for rest.
Align Resting with Your Values
What do you hold dear in your life? What are your values?
Resting doesn’t mean just lounging around watching Netflix (although, nothing wrong with doing that). You can rest by spending time with your family. It can be a vacation, a night out with friends, or even doing your passion projects on the side.
It’s easier to build a rest ethic that’s aligned with our values. It feels right. It adds meaning to our lives.
Conclusion
Resting is truly essential to our well-being. And it should not be a reward to ourselves. Instead, it should be mandatory in our routine. Let’s all maintain a strong rest ethic so we can give all we got in our other tasks at hand afterwards. Cheers!
