Harness the power of active rest

Discover the key to consistently feeling good and doing well in work

Demands on knowledge workers are ever increasing. In an effort to accommodate them, we may start earlier, stay late, work through lunch and into the night.

But sooner or later we have to confront an issue. There’s only so much extra work we can do before the strain starts to impact the quality of our work, life and relationships.

Unlike the machines we work with, our bodies and minds are not made for prolonged periods of intense effort. Work drains us. It draws from our mental, physical and emotional resources.

To maintain our ability to think and do well, we need to time to rest and recover.

Recovery is an active process

Whilst we tend to associate resting with inactivity, recovery researchers have found that certain kinds of experience can actually help our minds and bodies to relax and recharge (ten Brummelhuis & Bakker, 2012).

When done daily, this so called 'active rest' has been found to lead to increased wellbeing at bedtime (Sonnetag, 2001), as well as better sleep and less exhaustion the next morning (McGrath 2017).

According to Rydstedt & Johnsen (2019), this is because these activities restore the resources that we used to deal with the demands of the day.

A full night’s sleep may be the foundation of optimal functioning but there are other forms of rest that help us to feel good and function well.

Image copyright Akson, Unsplash

Four kinds of active rest

1. Emotional rest

If we’ve been dealing with challenging circumstances, colleagues or clients or, if feel we need to change ourselves to fit in, we can find ourselves emotionally worn out at the end of a working day.

Emotional rest is the deliberate act of disengaging from stress and strain. By taking the time to rest in this way we can reduce feelings of overwhelm, improve emotional regulation and increase our coping capacity.

Emotional rest activities include:

• Avoiding people or situations that make demands of you,

• Connecting with supportive friends and family,

• Creating and maintaining boundaries,

• Learning effective coping strategies,

• Seeking professional help,

• Setting limits on worry and solution finding time,

• Taking some “me time” between work and home activities,

• Writing in a journal.

2. Mental Rest

There are effectively two brain networks. The off-task, default mode network (AKA mind wandering/day dreaming) and the on-task network, when we’re focused and engaged in something.

Mental fatigue occurs after lengthy periods spent on-task, dealing with demanding people or exercising self-control/censure. It leads to an inability to process information and make decisions.

Mental rest activities are those that don't require us to use our cognitive resources and allow our minds to wander.

Ways to get mental rest:

• Doing something creative (e.g. cook, craft, doodle, draw, garden, etc)

• Going for a walk (no podcasts!)

• Meditation

• Mindfulness practices

• Playing an instrument

• Spending time in nature

• Taking a nap

3. Physical Rest

We are made for movement, we're not designed to be sat down all day. However, most of us find ourselves stuck at a desk, our bodies held in one position.

Physical rest refers to activities that promote relaxation and release tension in the body. It is found through practices that improve circulation, promote better blood flow and healing, as well as calm the mind and reduce feelings of stress.

Physical rest includes:

• Gentle stretching such as relaxation yoga or chi gung.

• Going for a leisurely walk

• Having a massage

• Practicing relaxation techniques

• Taking a hot bath

4. Sensory Rest

In our fast-paced, always on world, our senses are constantly bombarded. Sensory rest is any action that gives us a break from endless stimulation and allows the nervous system to reset.

When our senses are at rest, our brain has the opportunity to process and integrate information more effectively, leading to improved focus, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Sensory rest activities are things like:

• Breathing techniques

• Closing your eyes

• Sensory deprivation tanks (float tank)

• Sitting in silence

• Spending time in nature

• Stopping tech an hour before bed

• Taking a bath

• Turning off the TV

• Unplugging from work

Customise your active rest approach

The key to feeling good and doing well in work is practising active rest when the working day ends. To unlock its power we need to be intentional and consistent.

If active rest is an unfamiliar concept, start with something small that you can consistently do.

You might set aside a small amount of time to rest as you transition between your professional and personal time.

I know someone who takes 15 minutes for himself when he returns home. He gets changed, he plays guitar and lets his mind rest. Another takes a shower, washing away their day.

I know a woman who does post work stretching to ease the tension of being at a desk. Another takes 5 minutes to focus on their breath before commuting home. Such rituals help bring the work day to a close.

I encourage those I work with to experiment. This way you can identify what works best for you.

You might create a routine with some and use other types at particular times. Maybe you invite people you live with to share in certain forms of rest with you. An evening walk, creating something or agreeing to stop screen time at a certain time before bed.

Remember: the point of active rest is not about doing things in order to be more productive. It's done to balance the effort you've already given with recovery activities so that you can give again tomorrow.

By making active rest a part of your life, you'll not only support your health and wellbeing but also maintain productivity and resilience.

What could you do to help yourself unwind today?

Take care of you.

Identifying activities that help someone to unwind is part of my Mental Wealth Management Coaching Programme. A practical, evidence-based pathway designed to help you manage your energy and structure your day so you can maintain focus, get things done and avoid burnout.

This coaching programme is for you, if you often find yourself unable to concentrate, regularly feel overwhelmed or feel you're being pulled in lots of directions.

To explore how Mental Wealth Management could help you, send me a message.

Further reading

Kuykendall L, Lei X, Zhu Z, Hu X. (2020). Leisure choices and employee well-being: comparing need fulfilment and well-being during TV and other leisure activities. Appl. Psychol.: Health Well-Being 12:532–58

McGrath E, Cooper-Thomas HD, Garrosa E, Sanz-Vergel AI, Cheung GW. (2017). Rested, friendly, and engaged: the role of daily positive collegial interactions at work. J. Organ. Behav. 38:1213–26

Rydstedt LW., & Johnsen SÅ. (2019). Towards an integration of recovery and restoration theories. Heliyon. 2019 Jul 1;5(7): e02023. pmid:31372527

Sonnentag, S., & Natter, E. (2004). Flight attendants' daily recovery from work: Is there no place like home? International Journal of Stress Management, 11(4), 366–391. https://doi.org/10.1037/1072-5245.11.4.366

Sonnentag, S., Cheng, B. H., & Parker, S. L. (2022). Recovery from work: Advancing the field toward the future. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 9, 33–60. doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-091355

ten Brummelhuis L.L., Bakker A.B. (2012). Staying engaged during the week: the effect of off-job activities on next day work engagement. J Occup Health Psychol. 2012 Oct;17(4):445-55. doi: 10.1037/a0029213. Epub 2012 Jul 16. PMID: 22799771