Rest, Relax, Recharge!
by Marisa
Kallman, M.A.
edited by
Maureen Hoy
I often try to
help clients find more balance in their lives. We discuss setting aside time to
relax and recharge our batteries. It can be challenging for even the most
organized person to manage the chaos of modern life: work, home, and family.
Countless technological creations that were supposed to make life easier such as
email, voice messages and text messaging may become overwhelming. Add daily
errands and navigating through traffic to the mix and it's a wonder that we
don't all feel like pulling out our hair - or someone else's!
Recently I set
aside some time to get away from the throes of city life to breath in some fresh
mountain air. My husband and I headed off on a Friday afternoon to camp east of
Mt. Rainier. Not too far out of Seattle, we hit a parking lot of traffic and
moved slowly forward for two hours. We finally made it over the mountain and to
our campsite five hours later. There we ate our dinner, cleaned up and quickly
set up camp before we started nodding off at the picnic table. After a brief
glance at the star-filled sky, we settled in for the night.
I spent most of
the next day sleeping and reading in the tent, occasionally looking up at a blue
sky peeking through the trees. I finished the latest Harry Potter book while
listening to the roaring creek outside the tent and the songbirds singing.
Moments of peace rested gently upon my soul.
I questioned
what it was I was experiencing that day: was it exhaustion or relaxation? I came
to understand that, once I allowed myself the chance to relax and rest,
exhaustion showed up. The thought of doing anything physical like going for a
walk or cooking a meal left me feeling drained and unable to move. However,
after enough hours of rest and relaxation, I felt peaceful and eventually energy
and motivation returned. I wondered whether I could find more ways to relax and
rest on a regular basis. Then perhaps I could eliminate exhaustion and enjoy
more rejuvenating peace and quiet. It became quite clear to me; rest to
recharge. What a concept!
What is the
definition of rest or relaxation? I came up with some examples. Add some of your
own to the following list:
-
Get 8 hours a sleep a night.
-
Take a short nap sometime during the day.
-
Sit down on the couch for a break after doing
housework.
-
Read the newspaper with a cup of coffee in the
morning.
-
Take a vacation.
I wonder,
though, how often do we get 8 hours of sleep, take a break during the day with a
nap, or take a vacation. And can we take time to relax and rest without guilt?
I hear people
say, "I don't have time to take a break, a nap, a vacation, or get a full
night's sleep.” Or, "I can't afford to go on a vacation." Or, "Who will do the
work if I take a break?" I believe we pay a high price when we neglect our rest
or to spend time doing relaxing activities. We become restless (no pun intended!),
irritable, driven, numb, physically ill, depressed, anxious. Then everyone in
our daily lives, including ourselves, loses out.
We live in a
society that advocates working more and taking less time off. According to the
World Tourism Organization, the United States ranks lowest amongst the
industrialized nations with an average of 13 days of vacation per year. Japan
ranks next but jumps to 25 days, and Italy is at the top of list with 42 days of
vacation per year.
So what is the
solution? Consider the following:
1. A
first step is to define rest and relaxation for yourself. There are different
ways to create your definition. You can simply make a list of what you might
need to do to get some rest and relax. In a more creative context, try drawing a
picture or map, writing a poem or song, etc. Think of some different ways to
rest, relax, and expand your creative process.
2. If
you get stuck in the process of thinking of your definition of rest and
relaxation, ask a friend to help you brainstorm.
3. Plan time for rest and relaxation into your daily schedule. Keep your goals
simple and attainable; maybe try to get an extra 15 minutes of sleep in the
morning.
4.
Plan time off/a vacation for yourself. If you find yourself blocked by
difficulties in making vacation plans, i.e. not enough money, not enough time,
again ask a friend to help you think of some ways to make a vacation happen. For
example, go away for a weekend or a day trip, or go with others and share the
good times as well as the expense.
5. Keep in mind that by taking regular breaks and vacations, you help yourself and
those around you. Compare the process to sitting next to a child on an airplane
in a stressful situation: the oxygen mask goes on you first, then you help the
child.
If what you're
suffering from is the exhaustion of modern life, try to relax, get some rest,
and your batteries will re-charge. If you find yourself on vacation somewhere
and your body wants to rest, let it. Then you are ready to go sight-seeing!
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