In our everyday encounters, we evaluate ourselves & others largely by what is visible to the naked eye. Similar to army personnel, we wear badges that signify to many, our worth or rank in the world. These badges consist of educational credentials such as degrees, workplace experience, time spent volunteering, & most of all, productivity.
Because we work & reside in a world that is based heavily on data, we now find ourselves immersed in a constant calculation of productivity, whether we are measuring our own or that of someone else.
Living this way can be exhausting, whether for the office executive, or the mother counting her list of activities to be executed flawlessly. While productivity is imperative for keeping the figurative ball rolling, it is also a must for us to slow down and rest, more often than not.
Over the years, countless studies have shown, how stress can take away precious time off of our lives, and much of that stress can come from the constant measuring of success that we hold ourselves up to. Success can be a product of productivity, but so can rest.
Understanding that excess pressure can lead us into an array of illnesses can make one wonder how we can maximize productivity without sacrificing rest. The answer is simple. Make your productivity dependent on your resting periods.
When we put rest and relaxation on our priority list, we also make productivity easier to achieve, and the best part is that we create even better results when rested. Personally, when I work after having no designated time for myself, my results are not as nice as they could have been had I rested. Pouring into yourself and showing your body and mind some appreciation for their hard work pays off in energy boosts, increased feelings of gratitude and happiness, mental clarity, and more.
Tips:
Use your lunchbreaks to actually eat and relax. Do your best not to use your device during this time. If you don't usually have a designated lunchbreak because your are self-employed, create one pronto!
Designate at lest 20-30 mins before bed or before work for leisure. This may involve breathing exercises, your favourite hot or cold non-alcoholic beverage, calm music, and even light stretching. Mix it up!
Take yourself on a date, or create one at home. Ordering or making food that you like and watching a movie, visiting a restaurant solo, or even booking a massage, hair, or nail appointment can help brings feelings of relaxation & calming vibrations.
Take your rest and leisure activities 1 step at a time. You can work your way up from taking scheduled nap that you wouldn't normally take, to going on a solo date and more.
Although the work environments of today, whether at home, the office, or a site somewhere, demand our unwavering productivity, let us be sure that we pour into ourselves with rest, self-care, and alone time. The results will prove to be worth it from all angles.
-Samantha Simms (Author & Owner of Axum Oils)