Monday Mindset

Regulate through Rest

Well, here we are at the start of another new week.

I woke up struggling against a lingering sense of “ugh…not again” [another day filled with responsibilities and expectations that I don’t have the energy to meet.] This happens every year in February—the winter doldrums. Instead of rolling out of bed with a deep sigh, I gave myself a few minutes and thought, “slow and steady.” I don’t have to do it all or burst out of bed with energy and a grand plan. Slow and steady is enough for today/this week/however long it needs to be. That, coupled with naming a few tangible things I’m grateful for today, gave me the grace I needed to start this day with ease rather than angst.

Whatever it is you find yourself struggling against today, I hope you’ll meet yourself with a sense of grounded grace. Instead of trying to fix yourself, what if you simply allowed what is true to be there? What if you changed your expectations and lowered the bar? What if you met yourself with as much kindness as you offer others? What if you breathed through it all? What if instead of trying to beat yourself into submission, you expressed patience and gentleness? What if you were present to what is true, and met your own aching heart with comfort? What if?

As we continue with the monthly theme of Rest, this week we’ll be looking at how to practice mental and creative rest. It is possible, as we bring clarity, to:

Regulate Through Rest

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“Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a different way to stand.”

— Oprah Winfrey

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Mental Rest. In a world with constant input and more than our fair share of things vying for our attention, we desperately need it.

Have you ever gone to the store with a mental list of what you needed and forgotten what you were there for? How about a day at work where you couldn’t come out of the fog, and every task took longer than it normally would?

Struggling to concentrate and trouble with recall are two main indicators that more intentional rest is necessary.

Some other signs we need to improve mental clarity, according to Calm.com, include:

• Making mistakes at work we don't normally make

• Struggling to do things that used to come easily

• Brain fog/forgetfulness

• Slow processing (sluggish thought processes)

• Constant, deep tiredness

The slowness of these signals indicates that our systems are overwhelmed. On the other hand, there are signs that appear the opposite of sluggish that also indicate a need for mental rest. An overactive mind, or busy brain, can exhaust our bodies, as well as our minds.

If you have ever laid awake at night with thoughts racing through your mind, you know the direct effect this has on your rest. Not only can it affect your sleep, but busy brain also encompasses the inability to focus on tasks, a lack of energy throughout the day, and pervasive feelings of anxiety (What is A Busy Brain).

I don’t know about you, but there is no question in my mind (ha!) that I need to be much more proactive about resting my mind. So, how exactly do we go about that?

We experience mental clarity when our brains have enough time to switch off, slow down, and recover from the constant whir of activity (problem-solving, future-thinking, decision-making, and worrying, to name a few). It’s not an occasional need. Our brains need breaks often (multiple times a day).

Pausing focused work, stepping away for a few minutes, and letting our minds wander is one way to do this. Most of us need to schedule these breaks into our day. For example, for every thirty minutes of focused work, take a five minute break and walk around, stretch, or do a small task before returning.

Mindfulness is another great tool to use as a mental break. A mindful break could be doing a guided meditation, focusing on the present moment, or fully noticing or involving yourself in something. This could be paying attention to music playing rather than it just being background noise. It could be noticing the details of the sounds, sights, smells, or feel of what’s around you.

Even more strategies include:

• Helping someone (this can help you out of a self-focused thought loop)

• Writing all your thoughts out (AKA a brain dump)

• Cuddling a pet

• Sharing your thoughts with a friend

• Reducing screentime

• Exercise (aerobic activity is good for conditioning your mind, as well as your body)

• Doing a progressive muscle relaxation exercise before bed

Whatever mini-breaks you put into your day, the most important part is that you allow your brain to shut off from work-mode (and we’re not just talking about your job here). Whatever helps you slow down your thoughts and quiet your mind, even for a couple minutes, is important to incorporate into your schedule.

Mental rest isn’t something that we can afford to skip. In fact, this is one of the key areas that reveals burnout. If you are experiencing severe symptoms with memory recall and concentration (and it is not age-appropriate), seeking help and prioritizing rest are important.

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On Wednesday, we’ll tackle creative rest. If you want to read that post, as well as get access to the full library of Mid-Week Motivations, consider upgrading your subscription.

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What activities help you clear your head?

Is mental rest something you are actively practicing? Is it something you need more of?

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Take small brain breaks in your day. Put a reminder in your phone, if that’s helpful.

If a racing mind is something that keeps you up, redirect your thoughts by jotting them down on a notepad by your bed or by redirecting your thoughts toward what you are grateful for.

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Be gracious with yourself, my friends. Until later this week,

Sara