In January, chances are that you were fueled by the positive energy of new projects and goal setting to start 2021 with a bang. But last month, maybe you started to observe your mood and energy levels shift a little. And as you are reaching the end of Q1, you may be feeling exhausted and in dire need to recharge batteries.

If this resonates with how you’ve been feeling lately, then this blog post really is for you!

Rest is key.

Seems cliché to say this, but it really is.

Rest is not a luxury that we allow ourselves.

Rest is not for the weaker, the less ambitious, or the less "productive" people.

Rest is actually an essential component of work.

And to make sure that rest is included in your day-to-day, it is important to slow down and to be able to identify your needs, so that you can make time for rest and even plan it in your schedule!

We also tend to forget that rest is not just "physical". In fact, did you know that there are SEVEN types of rest? I am listing them for you below.

The 7 Types of Rest

1.     Physical Rest - Bringing your body to rest and to deep relaxation, either passively through sleep or actively through massages and stretching.

2.     Mental Rest - Putting your brain, as well as your thoughts and ruminations, at rest.

3.     Sensory Rest - Putting your hyper stimulated and overwhelmed senses to rest (too much screen time and exposure to noise are common culprits)

4.     Creative Rest - Creating space for creativity to emerge (this includes time spent walking in nature or in inspiring environments such as art galleries, bookstores, etc.) If you are caught up in “action mode” or feeling like you are “in a rut” with less time to dream, imagine, and think outside the box, chances are that you need a little creative rest on a more frequent basis.

5.     Emotional Rest - Being genuine and compassionate with yourself and with others in how you express your emotions, without trying to please anyone. This is directly linked to building more emotional self-awareness and assertiveness on a daily basis.

6.     Social Rest - Surrounding yourself with people who make you feel good and who have a positive mindset (Basically: staying away from negative or toxic people who take up a lot of our energy).

7.     Spiritual Rest - Connecting with something greater than yourself, through prayer or meditation, and entering a space of compassion, acceptance and wholeness.

After reading these 7 types of rest, I now invite you to ask yourself:

What rest do you tend to favor?

And in what ways could you better acknowledge other types of rest in your day-to-day depending on your needs?

I am looking forward to knowing your thoughts in the comments!

Coach Virginie

PS: Need to define a strategy to make rest a priority in your busy schedule? Don't hesitate to book a free 30-minute discovery call to discuss it together.