The Cardinal Sin Around Rest Days and Rituals

Many of us look eagerly towards the weekend as a time to replenish, catch up with our loved ones, engage with our hobbies, and sometimes simply just to laze around the couch. There is no shame in the 9-5 world of taking this time off, in fact, this is where TGIF ((Thank god it’s Friday) originates from.

Rest days are essential for us to replenish our stores so that we’re able to maximize our performance during the week. This doesn’t just apply to the workweek, but also to routines like studying and working out.

I preach it, but I don’t always live by it.

Taking a (full) day off is surprisingly agonizing for me. Sundays roll around and the mornings to mid-afternoons are usually perfect. I give myself the opportunity to laze around in bed with a good book, and if I’m lucky, feel the stream of sunlight come in through the windows warming my face and my arms. I take the time to enjoy my coffee (not just gulp it down lke a regular weekday lol), perhaps even at one of my favorite local coffee shops (currently it’s JJ Bean). I plan out my week(s): this is my ritual. The best part of Sundays is probably the organization, not only in my mind but in my space. I like to dictate exactly or at least roughly what I’m doing each day— leave nothing to the random. Why? Because I never have to be worried about not getting everything I need to be done, done. All I have to do is take a glance at my calendar and it’ll tell me what I should be doing at that time.

Minimize your decision-making throughout the day and you’re going to feel a lot freer.

After I finish planning, cleaning, and lazing around, here’s where things get a little boring. I feel like I’ve run out of things to do especially on my own. After a few hours of Netflix, I literally feel like I’m looking forward to Monday already.

The Dilemma around Rest

I know from experience that rest days are crucial, especially if I don’t want to burn out during the week. When I was in LA, I rarely took a day off. I realize now that it contributed to the fact that during the week I felt low, irritable, or downright overwhelmed at times. If I didn’t take a day off on the weekend, there would be at least one day during the week that the effects would pour over.

That is when I knew, that if I didn’t want to burn out and have more energy to pour into my craft, I needed to take rest days.

Still, how do you fight the guilt of feeling like you have the energy to work, but resist the urge to?

It starts with tiny habits.

Do a Split / Rest Day

If doing a bit of work during the weekends will bring you some form of peace, especially if it helps curb the workload during the week, then, by all means, take a few hours during your ‘rest day’ to catch up on that. For some people, this might be something they want to do the first thing they wake up.

Personally, I would avoid doing work first thing in the morning because it sets the tone of the day: that you’re prepared to work like any other day.

Instead, I recommend prioritizing replenishing activities/ rest first before you dive into anything work-related. It’s easy to get caught up in work and forget that you’re supposed to be taking this day easy. Learn how to honor these days, as a way to honor yourself.

Split your day up into 1. Me-time/ replenishing activities 2. A few hours of work 3. Spend time with loved ones

For the antsy minds out there, this simple 3 step routine is a way to ensure you still have a full and nourishing ‘rest’ day.

Don’t Downplay Human Connection

Time to yourself is definitely important, but as social mammals, humans have more to gain from genuine social connection and bonding time, than not.

This doesn’t mean you have to go and spend the whole day with your partner or your friends, but allocating a few hours to enforcing these bonds can raise your energy levels more than you think.

Being around loved ones creates a sense of psychological safety and belonging which allows us as humans to have more confidence to tap into our potential. This concept has been shown in research pertaining to leadership development and high-performing teams (such as sports).

For example, I usually like to spend time on the weekend with my partner. It doesn’t mean we’re going to spend the whole day together watching Netflix, but I might take some time in the morning to myself, and finish up a little bit of work before we spend time together. That way, the time that is spent together is the best quality because we can both be fully present once our own needs have been met. My partner replenishes me by being present, incredibly supportive, and believing in me.

Don’t Take Rest for Granted

Sometimes we have to do things we don’t feel like for a greater outcome. Although rest and productivity may seem dichotomous, the truth is that rest is downright crucial for our success and more importantly, our well-being. When we start to let this aspect of our lives drip, other important aspects like our health, relationships and the quality of our work will start to fall.

There is no correct amount of time one should take off. But you should set apart time that feels right for you, that gives you enough of a break from your day-to-day, or your work that’s enough to feel replenished. The quality of your rest has a direct impact on the quality of your life.