Listen to this episode on the Pgh Dreamer’s Pod

The laundry is not done. The groceries haven’t been bought. Forget planning for the holiday dinner. I am exhausted and would prefer to sit on the couch for the day.

But a little voice in the back of my head is nagging me, “You’re going to waste an entire Sunday not doing all the things that need to get done?”

I try to squash the voice – at least for a few minutes – but eventually, it wins. I sigh and stand up to once again rush around like a fool attempting to get everything “done” for the week.

Why do we feel guilty when rest is clearly needed? Our body and mind get into a squabble. The body needs to rejuvenate and refresh, while the mind knows that if we rest, we’ll be even more behind. The guilt, which informs the mind, is brought on by societal pressures of productivity and internal feelings of perfectionism and self-worth.

But counter to what your brain may be telling you, rest is a commodity and a necessary part of self-care. It is essential for calming the nervous system and giving you the recharge needed to tackle small and bigger tasks ahead.

So how can we combat this feeling of guilty?

1. Put rest on the calendar. It is as important, if not more important, than getting the tasks done. If it’s marked on your calendar, it is clearly a priority.
2. Work on reducing the mindset of busy-ness being the norm. Stop following social media accounts that emphasize ONLY productivity. Don’t let friends or family talk you into doing things you don’t want to do. Put a stop to the thought process that busy is better.
3. Realize that domestic chores, especially, are never done – so why is rest ignored to do tasks that will never go away? It’s quite illogical when you think about it.
4. If tasks are timely, prioritize the ones that need done first, at other times during the week. Delegate additional tasks to family or hired help if you are overwhelmed.
5. Understand that your body is the only one you’re going to get. If you don’t take care of it, through proper rest, you’re going to burnout and likely not be happy in the process. Think of how your body feels after a peaceful night’s sleep – rest can be equally as restorative if we make time for it.

Let me tell you a story. Yesterday, I had to get up super early for a Sunday and rush around. Once we got home, I was thinking about the to-do list that had to get done. Instead of jumping right into it, I made the kids breakfast and myself a cup of coffee. We all then took about 1 hour to just chill on the couch. After that rest, I felt more energized than I had all weekend to do what I needed to do.

Rest is worthwhile. And if that little voice in your head criticizes you for a rest day, politely remind it that you deserve a break.