7 Days 1 Lesson #15

I'm keeping this week short. I've been wanting to give myself a breather from constantly writing and thought, why not write a 7D7L on the importance of rest? So that's exactly what I did, one short lesson highlighting the importance of rest. I hope you enjoy it!

The Importance Of Rest

Machines don't need rest; you do.

I'm someone who struggles to have a good work-life balance. Rather than balancing work and rest, management of both looks more like a grandfather's clock, where I'm constantly swinging between them both.

This is one of my focuses this year, learning to keep both of these relatively stable whilst also still making progress. It might not always be possible, but I want it to be the rule and not the exception.

The biggest problem with swinging between work and rest is that it stops you from actually building a habit that will lead to consistent and sustainable growth. It's probably one of the biggest reasons why I burn out when working on something.

Some things that I've learned when I did manage to get some rest include:

1. Declutter Your Thoughts – One thing that I am constantly doing is watching informative videos on the economy, finance, AI, Cybersecurity, just everything and anything. Although it's helpful and manageable sometimes, most of the time it leads to information overload, which is ultimately fruitless because I don't give this information enough time to process. A book called Digital Minimalism helped me understand the importance of just being silent. It allows you to process the information you've collected. It allows you to form new ideas and accept or decline certain thoughts. It's nature's best way of decluttering.
2. Enjoy Your Fruits – As humans, we really struggle to say that's enough. Imagine this: you've just finished a massive meal, you're just about to leave, and the waitress says, "Wait, we've got a free dessert for you!" Most people won't say they're full; in fact, most people will happily indulge in their sweet treat because more is better. Well, that's not necessarily true. The same applies to work. You might think that if you work harder and longer, you can make more money. With this money you can afford more things. This results in many people taking on extra work that throws off their work-life balance. Something I often neglect is spending intentional time doing the things I enjoy, such as gaming, watching a movie, or going out to see friends, because I'm constantly thinking about the next thing. Rest allows you to appreciate the hard work you've put in.
3. Understand Yourself More – Lastly, resting, especially by yourself, is often overlooked but incredibly valuable when it comes to learning more about yourself. Spending alone time by yourself is one of the best things you could do. It allows you to understand what you enjoy, helps you understand the feelings that are going through your body, and, without going hippie on you, it allows you to become one with yourself. Work doesn't do that. Doing more doesn't do that. Only rest truly does that.

Rest looks different to many people. Sometimes a mental health walk is all you need, sometimes it's time spent in a room praying, sometimes it's a nice long holiday in the summer heat of Tenerife. Understanding what your body needs is important to ensure consistency.

Life is not a race; it is a marathon, one where consistency is everything, where habits are the building blocks to a successful life, and running after the newest thing without taking into account your endurance will lead to many failures.

Quotes Of The Week

• “If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” — Banksy
• “Wisdom is knowing when to have rest, when to have activity, and how much of each to have.” — Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
• “Burnout is more of an issue of poor energy management and low clarity than of over-giving.” – Brendon Burchard