2nd May Rest is best

Over the past few weeks I have been reading a book entitled Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less.

In a vocation where more and more of my collegues are having to take time off or even curtail their appoinments due to the unreasonable demands of their circuits, churches and even themselves, I thought it would make appropriate bedtime companion.

It is, it has to be said, quite scientific in parts, attempting as it does to back up it's advice with 'hard data' and so I have tended to skim read some of the more technical stuff. But overall it is proving to be an enlightening read.

It suggests 10 ways in which rest can and should be seen not as the opposite or work but as a tool that actually allows us to work better. These are divided into 6 areas that stimulate creativity...

Limiting intense work to 4 hours per day 
Having a good morning routine 
Walking 
Taking a nap 
Stopping when the going is good
 Sleeping

 

And 4 areas that help to sustain creativity... 

 

Recovering 

Exercising

Engaging with deep play 

Sabbaticals 

 All of which has provided great food for thought and hopefully means the next time I have an empty morning, afternoon orevening in my diary I am going to try to resist finding something to 'do' and instead not feel guilty about enjoying the chance to simply 'be'.