The 7 Types of Rest
Burnout has become an all-too-common phenomenon of the modern era.
Perhaps it’s a result of our constant connectedness, which keeps us plugged into something 24/7, or maybe a byproduct of the culture we have become, constantly pushing for more, needing to stand out, or maybe stemming from childhood traumas being told repeatedly that you don’t have what it takes, so as an adult, you have the constant need to prove that yes you do. The reasons can be many.
Whatever the cause, we all need to have a plan for getting rest and avoiding, or coming back from, burnout.
Sleep is the logical solution—we sleep, to restore, to recharge, ultimately to rest.
But Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith—a physician, author, and speaker—argues that sleep and rest are not the same thing. The reality is that there’s more to “rest” than meets the eye.
She proposes that there are seven types of rest:
Physical Rest: Can be passive (sleeping, napping or contemplation) or active (yoga, stretching, massage).
Mental Rest: Take short breaks between tasks and meetings, create a power-down ritual to separate work from personal, meditate.
Sensory Rest: Turn off social media, get away from screens and bright lights, switch from Zoom to phone call.
Creative Rest: Can be natural (taking in a sunrise/sunset, walking in the woods) or man-made (going to a museum, experiencing new music).
Emotional Rest: Spend time alone is incredibly healing. If you find that you cannot be by yourself aka with yourself, then that alone is telling you something. You may either choose to dig a little deeper in a few sessions of therapy or you can choose to spend time with whom you can be your full, authentic self.
Social Rest: Spend less time with people who drain your energy and more time with people who give you energy.
Spiritual Rest: Connect with something bigger than yourself. Can be through volunteering, working on a purpose-driven job, or participating in spiritual or faith-based activities.
While this may seem like a lot, you can actually hit multiple types of rest with single simple additions to your weekly routine. For example, adding a daily tech-free walk in nature is a perfect way to hit physical, mental sensory, creative, emotional, and even social rest.
As you think about your days, make sure you are finding ways to incorporate the seven types of rest into your life. You’ll feel more comprehensively recharged and ready to take on life’s challenges as a result.