I could go on and on about this book…the bottom line is: READ IT and practice!
Being a person who both loves my work and one who can be driven by passion to work a lot…I have found this read a beautiful reminder. I have been reminded of what I have found naturally over the years…to create a focused window for work and then a devoted time for active rest.
When I am working, I can feel the place in me where real focus and discipline begins to grow thin…this is the point to stop, or even before this…to leave something undone and take that thread into rest. I often find a new level of awareness, insight, vision and ‘solution’ when I do this.
In REST: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, Alex Soojung-Kim Pang beautifully lays out 10 domaines to consider – all laced with stories from creative and highly productive people in history – inventors, creators of systems, scientists, business people, writers, composers and more. Research, statistics and outcomes support his position that work is best done when rest is an equal partner – that together they make a WHOLE to a creative, joyful and productive life. I love that the best rest is active rest, which invites more creativity, renewal, productivity, focus, happiness and prioritizes what matters most in busy lives.
The 10 domaines or skills REST focuses on are:
- Four Hours – Really three – five hours a day of focused, deliberate work with rest and sleep create the most productive and creative work life, one that is sustainable.
- Morning Routines – The early hours of the morning invite a ‘bleed through’ of intuition, the unconscious and creative inspiration. Early morning dreamy clarity is a tool many highly creative and productive people use to engage intentional dialogue and structure with their whole brain, inviting the Unconscious and Self to speak for inspired outcomes.
- Walk – Recharges energy, quiets/distracts conscious mind and frees subconscious mind to meander, ‘solve’, tap inspiration and foster creativity for greater productivity.
- Nap – Power tool to reboot, find new ideas, the cat nap (20 minutes is the sweet spot) is perfect to recharge when you need it. The habit of napping improves memory – even 5 minutes improves retention! The skill of napping improves frustration tolerance and physical restoration is of course addressed.
- Stop – Hemingway would stop mid-sentence, shift to another activity and receive subconscious, creative solutions to finish his work. Brain research supports the art of the stop – the skill of tracking your energy levels, attention and focus in scheduled work – then invites the practice of mind-wandering for productive, creative outcomes.
- Sleep – Repairs damage, builds neural structures, flushes toxins and makes meaning of experiences throughout the day. It seems seven hours is enough to get you there.
- Recovery – Really detaching from work, taking regular vacations, recharge the physical and emotional battery, switching off – this practice increases ability to respond to challenges at work, to recover from burnout, to make better decisions under stress, to have creative breakthroughs, to increase retention and job satisfaction.
- Exercise – Boosts brain power, stamina and psychological resilience, builds neural plasticity, fosters creative thinking, helps you focus and be organized in work, protects against aging declines in brain and body. Do something you enjoy, outside is even better.
- Deep Play – Requires total focus, engages mind and body, is challenging, links skills needed for play with skills needed at work, satisfying, and often links to person’s past. (Some of my favorites are surfing, trail running, mini tramp workouts, puppy training and play and of course, DANCE)
- Sabbaticals – Time off to explore deeper interests, thoughts, questions, creative projects and new learning. Increases work satisfaction, creates new products or offers, recharges both person and their professional contribution.
Finding your own dance with the dynamic balance of focused work and practiced rest is a skill and an art form. I believe it is our most natural way of being. The eight hour production and consumer based work day makes this natural rhythm more challenging to find…however, I encourage you to get curious…and begin looking for ways you can incorporate more of a restful way of working. You have nothing to loose except anxiety, fatigue, and frustration! Inviting relationship with your whole self through work and rest can revolutionize your life and unlock more of your brilliance and creative contribution. Your life and work only stand to benefit from this, and, the world needs all of you with your brilliance, courage and creativity now. I hope you enjoy your own dive into REST and that we all receive the goodness this brings.
View all posts by Dr. Shannon Simonelli
