There have been so many times Iāve decided not to post my lunchtime hour massage to Instagram Stories, or have hesitated telling a friend that I actually took Wednesday afternoon off to finish a book.
My last company, which I spent ten years building, came to life in the #girlboss era.
It wasnāt unheard of for me to work 16-hour days, answer a clientās text message ā yes, text message ā on a Saturday afternoon, or have panic attacks in the corner of my living room.
And spoiler alert, friends. It wasnāt sustainable! In fact, working that way contributed to my PCOS coming to life and the onset of adrenal fatigue ā diagnoses that altered the way Iād approach my career and life forever.
As a result, I made changes.
I began reading fiction voraciously again.
I took a pottery class.
I cooked elaborate dinners.
Iād book that massage for noon on a Tuesday, and, my favorite, Iād leisurely meander the aisle of Sprouts at 10am on a Monday without a care in the world. A pause to read the label of a sparkling adaptogenic beverage? A moment to chat with the person at the deli counter? No worries.
At first, it felt itchy.
Like, shouldnāt I be doing something āØ productive āØ?
But as it turns out, as I slowly made sustainable changes to my days, I realized something potent:
Rest is a creative act.
Immersing ourselves in our creative world can fuel our day-to-day.
Through gentle practices and going slow, we can create our dream existence.
And Iām proud of that. Why would I hide what I believe has the power to change lives?
Thatās why on October 27th, Iām hosting a virtual retreat from 11am-2pmEST on Rest as a Creative Act.
Weāll:
š āEngage in restful, playful creative exercises designed to help you tap into your subconscious and unleash new perspectives.
š Reflect on your personal relationship with rest and how it can fuel your creative process through journaling and mindful exploration.
š āConnect with like-minded creatives in discussions on how to apply restful practices to overcome creative blocks and find sustainable inspiration.
š And more āØ
No matter where you are on your creative journey, this space will offer practical tools and insights to help you harness rest as a vital part of your creative toolkit, and Iām beyond excited to connect with you there. š¤
You donāt have to identify as ācreative,ā an āentrepreneur,ā or āburnt out.ā
You just have to be curious about who the most fulfilled version of yourself is.
Excited to see you soon!
Kayli
P.S. If youāre interested, Iād gain access now as this event will hit capacity at 10 people to ensure an intimate space for all who attend. x
A morning in bed reading at The Ludlow // A bath in Provence at Villa Le Galinier // Reading al fresco at Tiramisu // An October Morning Coffee // Cacao Circle with Healing Haus // Relaxation at Home
āā¦People like Charles Darwin, Stephen King, Maya Angelou, who are obsessed with their work. But when you look at how many hours a day they spent working, it's a surprisingly small number. Living in Silicon Valley and growing up in an era that assumes overwork is the norm, the idea that you could go in the opposite direction and yet still do really amazing stuff was really compelling. I started to think that maybe the secret had to do not just with how they work or their innate intelligence but also with the way they rested. What I found is a community of people including scientists and artists and authors who follow this pattern of working very intensively a few hours a day and then resting deliberately in various ways. Rest is something we all know how to do naturally, but itās also something we can treat as a skill.ā - Alex Soojung-Kim Pang in an Interview with Scientific American
When you think of ārestā you likely conjure up images of lying in the bathtub, restorative yoga classes, or sleeping tenderly under a lush duvet. I love that for us!
However, rest can be baked into our day-to-day ā at desks, in offices, on your lunch.
Here are some ways to incorporate rest into your workday:
š§š½ Did you know that overworking can actually zap your creativity? At regular intervals, take a 10 to 15-minute break. During that break, walk around your office, pour a cup of tea, or turn on a short meditation. | Tip: The Pomodoro Technique is a tried and true time management tool that works for many.
šµ Try skipping your second cup of coffee and pack a nutrient-filled lunch. Caffeine and sugar can spike anxiety + make it difficult for our bodies to rest.
š A Stanford study found that creative output increases by an average of 60% when walking. Schedule walking meetings when you can. If youāre unable, try walking around your building once or twice to get creative juices flowing, and yourself relaxed.
šØ Give 4-7-8 breathing a try. 4-7-8 breathing is when you inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds. This technique has been shown to positively impact stress levels + aid in relaxation.
š When your workday ends, unplug from your computer and any other work devices. You might worry about missing an email or meeting request, but by shifting out of work mode, your creative output will flourish in the long run!
How do you incorporate rest into your work day?
According to Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, there are seven types of rest.
Physical Rest: This type of rest includes sleep, but also includes gentle movement like yoga, or stretching.
Mental Rest: Mental Rest are activities that calm our brains down from churning out thoughts a mile a minute. It includes meditation, deep breathing, and hobbies you can get lost in.
Emotional Rest: Emotional Rest allows us to take a step back from the emotional demands of our day-to-day and the work to process them in healthy ways. Emotional rest includes therapy or evening journaling.
Social Rest: Social Rest doesnāt mean going into hermit mode (necessarily). It looks like surrounding yourself with a supportive community and setting healthy relationship boundaries.
Sensory Rest: This means taking an intentional time away from the constant stimuli weāre surrounded with ā the lights, the honking, the harsh smells (looking at you, NYC).
Creative Rest: I find that creative rest can mean taking a break from creative work or diving into it in new ways without an outcome attached. Think: Browsing an art museum, turning a vinyl and listening as you try a new recipe, or reading a fiction book just for fun.
Spiritual Rest: The ability to find fulfillment and purpose in your daily life is a huge part of spiritual rest, as is being able to connect with something beyond yourself. This can look like time for prayer, meditation, or volunteering at a local place that serves others.
Physical Rest:
āØ Taking a walk around your block listening to the rustling of the trees.
āØ Sleeping for as long as your body asks.
āØ Doing a restorative yoga sequence.
āØ Getting a massage.
āØ Taking a bath.
āØ Doing deep breathing, like box breathing for relaxation.
āØ Scheduling a break in your workday.
Mental Rest:
āØ Putting away your work devices when the work day is complete.
āØ Set boundaries for time consuming and creating for social media.
āØ Get into a regular journaling routine.
āØ Schedule time for hobbies you love + can get lost in like scrapbooking, baking, or painting.
āØ Have mantras you can turn to when experiencing overwhelm, like, āSome things are beyond my control and I peacefully accept that.ā
āØ Practice peaceful meditations.
Emotional Rest:
āØ Make sure you have frequent time alone to reflect.
āØ Process feelings that arise with a trusted source of support like a therapist.
āØ Spend time in nature. Did you know that touching a tree can reduce stress + boost your mood?
āØ Donāt say āyesā to unnecessary activities you know will cause stress or feelings of disease.
āØ Have a list of things to do that allow for emotional freedom like doodling or finger painting. Reference this list when feeling tense.
Social Rest:
āØ Keep an ongoing note of solo dates handy. Take a museum stroll, walk through a local nature preserve, or enjoy a glass of wine on a patio while reading.
āØ Make a point to regularly connect with loved ones you know you can fully be yourself with.
āØ Learn to enjoy spending time with yourself by finding activities you love (and prefer!) doing solo.
āØ Work on intentionally creating a community of folks you can count on for different emotional and social needs. It takes a village!
Sensory Rest:
āØ Shut off your TV.
āØ Allow yourself to be bored as you wait for your coffee to warm up, as you brush your teeth, etc.
āØ Invest in blackout curtains or noise-canceling headphones on subway commutes that leave you frazzled.
āØ Dim your bathroom lights and hop in a shower.
āØ Say ānoā to tight, itchy, or otherwise uncomfortable clothes. Tip: I recently started getting looser pants for my yoga practice + it has been a game-changer!
āØ Set boundaries around your screen time.
āØ Invest in red lightbulbs to experiment with if your sleep improves.
āØ Bring a yoga mat + sit in nature. Allow the calmness to wash over you.
āØ Commit to being silent for a set amount of hours (2 hours in the morning, after 7pm, etc.) and see how you feel.
Creative Rest:
āØ Make some art just for the fun of it!
āØ Visit an exhibit youāve been wanting to see, or perhaps even better, walk into a new-to-you creative institution + let yourself feel what you feel. I love the Olfactory Art Keller in NYC.
āØ Take breaks from projects that are creatively stimulating yet have any pressure attached to them.
āØ Make a collage of sources that inspire you.
āØ Dance around your house to music you love. I recommend creating a playlist of songs that make you feel alive whenever you listen!
Spiritual Rest:
āØ Pray to a power you believe in.
āØ Write down your despair and your dreams + free them to the page.
āØ Volunteer for a cause thatās near and dear to your heart.
āØ Have a meditation practice.
āØ Create a list of uplifting books, movies, and other media.
āØ Start a gratitude list + add 5 things to it every day.
If youāre ready to harness rest to catapult your creative power, Iād love to see you at the virtual retreat happening on 10/27 + let me know in the comments: What are your favorite ways to rest intentionally?
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Can I just say how much I LOVE your articles?! This one hits home, especially as a fellow (former) #girlboss gal. I do not regret my hours of passion projects and side hustling, but I am finding more solace in slow projects these days (like writing on Substack).
I feel like we are kindred minds in so many ways Kayli! I so appreciate you and your work!
I loved this post Kayli, very well written and it gave me new ideas when it comes to different types of rest š¤