Hannah Sviontek has written a beautiful blog about how important rest is to ones avoiding burnout. Originally published 1/19/21 Check it out here:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/year-rest-hannah-archuleta/?trackingId=XR34K6PSQsKp5xH8N2O9cg%3D%3D

Or see the copy below:

I can remember it like it was yesterday – my first burn out.

I’m not talking about just needing to have a brain break, to get away on a vacation, or to just want a restful weekend. I am talking about being forced to STOP. After weeks of working through the night and weekend; my mind continuously thinking about what I needed to do next; and all the while brushing off colds and allergies with pills and coffee – my body had its tipping point. A bad spout of vertigo ensued, and I could do nothing about it. Not only could I not work; I couldn’t enjoy the other priorities I valued in my life. How did I let myself get this far?

The irony is that I don’t even remember what I was working so hard for, and sadly, I still didn’t learn my lesson then.

Like many Americans, growing up, we are taught the value of hard work: How hard work gets the opportunities first and how long hours and grit are the sacrifice you make for a better tomorrow. After all, that’s the American dream; people coming from nothing and making something great. While I’m not devaluing a good work ethic or having ambition, we realize more than ever, that we struggle as a workforce to find the “balance”, or better yet, integration of how we work versus our other priorities.

Today we have the convenience of technology and being able to work on the go, work from home, connect with others, send proposals across the globe in an instant, etc. We would think that with this convenience, we could find even more time to slow down or set our boundaries and priorities. But we have found it harder to do so. Why is that?

Throughout our lives, our priorities shift and usually during one point or many, our main priority is our career. But often we are juggling many priorities at the same time – our family, our friends, our hobbies, our religion, our health etc. I’ve always admired those who seem to have more than 24 hours in the day to do all of their priorities well. And more often than not, I have seen a common trend among these individuals. Work is work. Life is life. And sometimes, they cross. I’m not saying that the office party isn’t life time or doing your personal taxes isn’t working time; but being intentional with your time when you need to is the key, especially your rest.

For those who are from the Christian or Jewish faith, you will know the concept of Shabbat, which is a day of rest once a week. While sometimes work intercepts this day of rest, it is not often; and having a designated time to just rest has become an integral part of my week. This might sound mundane or ritualistic for some, but designated times and boundaries set have been tremendously impactful, especially in our work from home world.

Intentional rest will look different for everyone. A whole day set aside to intentionally not work is for me. It gets me excited for the weekend and makes me look forward to Monday morning or whichever day I work. I’m not stressed, and I have more energy, focus, and intentionality. Taking a moment to breathe, not for the next task or deadline, but to refill and rejuvenate the body that powers my mind, my knowledge, my imagination, and my ambition.

For you it may look like a coffee run every day or disconnecting from the technology that gives you so much. Whatever it is, it requires diligence. It requires intentionality. It requires self-respect. And it requires your prioritization in your life to do so.

While most of us are planning or have already planned our goals for 2021, try adding this one to the forefront: one where you know where your boundaries are, where your priorities are, and how to take advantage of modern work styles or environments and integration of them into your lifestyle – one that incorporates rest. What does that look like for you and how does that most benefit you? Take time to think about it. Be diligent about it. You will find that you benefit far more in everything that you value when you give yourself some time to rest.

We know we could all use some from this past year.

 

We know we could all use some from this past year.