Recharge to Create: Rest is good for creativity
Wow, I never anticipated that a seemingly singular thought could morph itself into a series of blog posts.
Curious what I meant by ‘a series’? Check these gems out:
The one that kickstarted the whole series: It is ok to do the bare minimum
Which sparked the discussion about why it’s important to reclaim rest in this hustle-driven world
And do you know that by doing so, you are choosing yourself and saying no to being a cog in the machine of capitalism!
I was inspired to think more critically about the whole concept of rest, the grind culture, capitalism, and the world we live in today after reading the Rest is Resistance book.
After the explosion of the Black Lives Matter several years ago, the term decolonizing mental health, healing the wound, and a few others have been swirling around, and even though on the surface I feel like I kind of know what it meant, on the deeper level I feel like there is so much more to learn.
I would not pronounce myself as an expert, though I feel that I have a better understanding and am more aware of the nuances.
So, where we left off in our last article in the series, I shared about the definition of rest 2.0.
I contrasted the old way of looking at rest as a nuisance and invited readers to rethink rest as our fundamental human need.
And now I’d love to share another great side effect of resting:
BOOSTING OUR CREATIVITY
In this article I will talk some more about:
rest is good for creativity
when to schedule rest in the middle of your work day
what to do during your break
I used to think that I need to just push through and refused to take breaks. Until I realized that working non-stop impacted my overall mood and physical health. I became more irritable and started feeling jealous when I heard some friends could do certain things and go certain places. The true wake-up call was when I had a chronic back pain that persisted and didn’t go away even after multiple stretches and massages.
I started experimenting with making small shifts in my schedule, things as small as watering my plants or washing my dishes in-between meetings.
I learned that after committing to these small changes, it took me less time to produce the same amount of work.
Yes, I realized that rest is not a nuisance. Instead, rest is good for creativity.
Rest is good for creativity. How so?
When we detach ourselves from the constant hustle bustle of our daily routines, we actually make space for creativity to flourish.
And being creative is so much more than just doing artistic things. It also extends to many other aspects in our lives, like problem-solving, self-expression, personal exploration and healing
It could be as simple as making space in your day to revisit certain ideas or project or encounters.
This space could help you think outside the box, explore new perspectives, and come up with different ways to approach certain situations.
Granted, to make being creative happen, you need to be willing to take risks, experiment in something new, traversing into uncharted territories.
When to schedule rest in the middle of your work day?
As someone who have tried several different efficiency formula before finding one that fits me well, I steer away from listing some tried-and-true formula.
So, instead I will share some things for you to consider :)
One of the commonly cited excuses people say is that they are afraid they won’t get things done if they rest.
Well, it’s super important to be mindful of what we use with our time.
Meaning, instead of wishing we have more than 24 hr in a day, we need to be mindful of what activities we fill our time with
Another legit thing to take into consideration when you schedule your break is:
We all have PEAK FOCUS HOURS, that time when our brain juice could flow the best.
Some of us are early risers and prefer working in the morning.
Some of us are night owl, so our brain works best sometime after 3pm.
What I am saying that we are all different, so we need to pay attention to AND NOTICE when our brain works best.
Make sure to use up your peak focus hours to complete tasks that would be more demanding and require more attention and focus.
Leave the lighter stuff for later.
For instance for me, my brain could produce writing materials best early in the day, so I intentionally schedule my counselling sessions later in the afternoon. This happens to work well with my clients too who are mostly available later in the day as well.
Scheduling my day this way helps me maximize my peak hours, so rest is not a nuisance.
I guess it goes without saying not to scroll social media during peak hours.
Wondering what to do during your break?!?
For those of you working from home:
Answering emails, reading up documents, and being ‘productive’ could be tempting, though may I invite you to consider the following:
o If there’s a 10- or 15- minute window in-between meetings, perhaps watering your plants, vacuuming your space, doing your dishes, emptying your dishwasher
o If you feel like being still, perhaps grabbing your yoga mat, and doing shivasana (and listen to a calming music or setting up an alarm, so that you won’t miss your meeting)To end a workday, is it possible to:
o Go out for a short run and then do some Pilates or yoga (whatever suits your preference)
o If the weather is nice, perhaps grab your favourite gelato from a nearby shop and take a leisurely walk on the park.
Savour the moment.
Soak up in the beauty the mountain has to offer.
Listen to the sound of the birds chirping.
Notice your surrounding—it is cute seeing chipmunk munch on seeds.
The possibility is infinite here.
Just want to throw in a caveat: all the above activities I shared above are a few things I do that I find life-giving and restful. By no means, the list is definitive (for you).
You get to define what rest looks like for you.
I share with the hope of getting your creative juice running ;P
I hope this article was a reminder for you that rest is actually our fundamental human need.
And the best part about it is that rest is good for our creativity!
If you have been wrestling wtih this topic and feel like you would benefit from having a sounding board to help you figure out how reframing rest, success, and productivity would look like for you, I welcome you to find a time in my booking link calendar.
Can’t wait to hear from you :)
Hello, I’m Nita Agustin
Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC
My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships.
I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland.
Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self!
Throughout this pandemic, I witnessed telehealth virtual sessions become more of a norm, and it has been super transformative seeing clients can access mental health services from the comfort of their home.
There are lots of different stereotypes out there, and society tells us who we are supposed to be and what we are supposed to do in the world. It can feel very overwhelming and confusing to compare our personal experience against those ideas. The thing is, you no longer have to be defined by what society tells you. It is your life to live, and you get to decide who get a say about your life.
