Rest and Re-Fuel
By Megan Clemmer, Account Manager, Think3 Marketing
Work hard, play hard. That’s the mantra for a successful professional right? There is one important thing missing from this equation. Rest. Though it is good to be productive, making time for rest is imperative. Rest not only re-fuels our body physically but also fosters mental performance. When our bodies and minds are worn down, our ability to be open-minded, and create solutions for projects and challenges wears down as well. Here are 4 simple, yet effective ways to add rest to your lifestyle.
Sleep
Yes, sleep is a given, but it is arguably the most important component of rest. We live in a culture which thrives on productivity. However, if this means going to bed late and waking early, then productivity in the long-term will be affected negatively. Healthline shares this statistic taken from a publication in the National Library of Medicine “One study published by the Association for Psychological Science found that getting only 5 hours per night for 4 nights in a row negatively affected mental performance to the same extent as having a blood alcohol content of 0.06.” Memory, creativity, and cognitive thinking are just a few areas of the brain that can be affected by a lack of sleep. Making the choice to schedule at least 7-8 hours of rest a night is a good decision and not to be considered a waste.
Recreation/Exercise
Traditional workouts, sports or even leisure walking are all forms of movement that the body needs to reduce stress. Chronic stress wreaks havoc on a variety of areas in the body. Exercising is a great way to bolster energy and work off office frustrations. It is also known to help increase creative thought processes and help the mind work through challenges. As far as physical benefits, muscles strained from sitting at a desk all day can be worked and stretched when taking even a short 15-min walk at a nearby park. Tip: Include some outside exercise activities for fresh air, vitamin D and enjoying the natural landscape. A fun way to share your activity is through the smartphone app “Relive”. You can record your activity, take pictures, create a video of your route and share with friends and family.
Dream/Set Goals
Rest allows quiet. Instead of busying the mind during every waking hour, give it the time to process life. It is very beneficial to set up time to create life goals, assess situations and think about future aspirations. When we get settled into the monotony of day-to-day life, we miss the opportunity to process what our life actions are producing. Our lives should be a work in progress…always ready to pivot!
Interact with Others/Pets
Most people interact with others regularly at their job, but it is generally for work purposes only. When we are consistently living in “work mode” and do not make time to maintain our sense of self, unfulfillment can settle in. Scheduling a few dates on your calendar each month for dining with friends, attending a fun event or just a simple get-together at a local coffee place can be refreshing and refueling. Interaction doesn’t have to just involve humans! Time spent with our furry friends has also shown to be beneficial for stress relief. An article from John Hopkins Medicine states “Research has shown that simply petting a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol , while the social interaction between people and their dogs actually increases levels of the feel-good hormone oxytocin (the same hormone that bonds mothers to babies).” For those that do not have pets of their own, volunteering at a local animal shelter is a great way to de-stress and give back!
Here at Think3, productivity and achieving goals is important to our work life but we also respect the need for our team’s rest. We encourage and support each team member to rest and re-fuel in their daily lives!