How To Relax Without Reducing Rest To Productivity

How Do You Give Yourself Time To Rest Without Losing Productivity or Falling Behind?

Now I know what you’re thinking… "I took time off, now I’m behind." How do you take a day away, and not feel behind? The math doesn’t math. 

Let’s flip that. Taking time off doesn’t set you back—it sets you up. If you keep doing more, you are going to keep being busy. You feel like you cannot rest, but at the same time, you cannot afford not to. 

There’s a misconception that rest means you stop and do nothing. That’s not it. Rest means actively filling up your tank. What nourishes you? For me, it’s standing barefoot in the sunshine, breathing fresh air, and listening to my kids laugh. These moments are FREE and available NOW. It's not when you get to a certain level of success in your business. It's also for while you are on your way there. 

Resting does not put you behind, it better positions you to do what you’ve been called to do. And now you can do it from a place of poise and restoration.  You’re no longer running on empty in any or all of the areas of your life.

0:01:47 - The deeper benefits of rest
0:06:26 - Rest as a strategic advantage
0:09:02 - Maintaining work-life balance with a day of rest
0:14:26 - Defining your day of rest
0:19:26 - Overcoming guilt and fear of rest
0:22:26 - How to take rest without falling behind
0:25:26 - 3 small steps to rest without guilt today

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Transcript

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We help you write all the things that you've been trying to articulate about your business but have never been able to put into copy. We're going to go deep to uplevel your business without adding more to your already full plate. We'll keep it simple and sustainable. Sound like a breath of relief. Let's dive in, entrepreneurs. You've heard this one before. Rest is productive, and I want to challenge that today. So I mean, well, rest, while it's true, rest is productive, it doesn't tell the full story, and I think the other half of the story that it doesn't tell is really crucial one to be missing out, because rest is not just about recharging so that you can work harder, knowing that the most worthwhile use of your time to truly pause breathe delight and joy. And I'm not going woo, woo or cheesy on you here, but really giving you scientifically based and back, tried and true, battle tested, practical steps so that you can actually relax, especially during August, because when was the last time you genuinely felt relaxed? Was it on vacation away from the endless things of email and slack? In this episode, I'm going to explore the real reason why it is so hard for you to stop and rest, for all of us, really, and how we can finally let go, even during the holidays. And spoiler alert, is not just about boosting your productivity, though. That is a great perk, for sure. We're going to get into the other side of it that is so much more juicy and joyful, most true, genuine rest that it feels practical and reminded of our episode with Dr Shanika, who shared a powerful reminder that your worth is not defined by your to do list is rooted in knowing who you are at your core. And her episode is linked in the show notes. It is so good. It was the top performing episode of 2024 you could definitely go with it. Give it a listen after this. One tells us that knowing you are enough brings a unique piece, and it frees you to pivot or change or do what you need to do without the fear or the doubt, because true wealth lies in embracing your identity, just financial success that may just be a part of it, and when you know this deeply in your bones, it frees you to finally stop chasing more at all costs. And this shift doesn't just make rest easier, it sets you free. It's a deeper freedom you're actually looking for. We think we want the time freedom, money, location, freedom that we're all chasing as entrepreneurs. But this, this sense of peace and enoughness that I think is what we really want beyond because you can have the time, money, location, freedom, but if you don't have this, none of the rest of that stuff will happen. So does rest increase productivity? Yes, of course, you're less likely to make errors and omissions. You're more focused when you get enough sleep. Thank you. Sources to sleep, foundation again, the active article. And while this is a great benefit of rest, again, it misses the point. The point of rest is to delight in your work and what you have made. Our busy hustle culture has made a huge prioritizing joy. But then we measure whole point. We think that joy is for one day in the future, or when we get there, wherever there is. But you know, the goal posts are always changing, and when that happens, then we miss out that it's for now too. I don't want to be so focused on chasing those ever changing goal posts that we miss right in front of us. Otherwise. What is all of this? For this episode, I'm going to share with you exactly how to relax as the ambitious business owner juggling without feeling. And when you do this, you'll be able to finally be fully present to your work and fully present to your family and your life. Because I don't know about you, but I don't want either one to only get half of so let's talk about both sides of rest. One reason is that, yes, rest is productive, but don't miss the other reason culture lies find peace and joy and delight exactly where you are, even if it's not yet where you want to be. So let's talk about that first piece. First press is a strategic advantage for a Live Inspired copy that actually performs well, for sure, right? Great storytelling is often a compelling piece of copyright, and the best stories, well, they come from when you are actually out there living your life, and when you're rested, you're not just physically rejuvenated, though, yes, that is true too. It's also your immense you are mentally and emotionally open to inspiration, fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, right? That's why our best ideas usually come in the shower. We're away from our phone. We can't bring our phone into the shower when we're just like is or out on our run and not working, that is my best ideas, that better copywriting is fueled by joyful rest, because it allows your mind to recharge, refocus and reconnect with that creativity, your six different ways that It directly contributes to better copyright one is the clarity of thought. The rest helps clear the mental platter in enabling you to think more strategically and articulate your ideas with more decisions, you can better distill complex concepts into compelling messages. Right when your brain is not tired and fatigued, the clarity, two, the creative flow makes these thrives in a well rested brain, joyful rest, play hobbies, Episode spark Your imagination and allow new ideas to flow effortlessly. Third point here is empathy and connection you. It brings you more in zoom your audience's needs, emotions and desires, because you're not thinking about your own survival, your cup is full, and it allows you to create this deeper connection. And from that place you write better copy that is more resonant and authentic. Number four is increased confidence your rest is going to replenish your energy and also your self belief, because that imposter syndrome coming up as you're writing your copy is like the number one reason, why, or why it is not a burden when you are confident it reflects in your copy. There is no doubt about that. It makes it more powerful. Number five is the strategic thinking provide the mental bandwidth to step back and see the bigger picture, allowing you to craft messaging that aligns with your long term goal in a brand strategy. And lastly, it's sustainable creativity. Overworking leads to burnout, which stifles your creativity. You're pushing, pushing, pushing. Eventually it's going to break even you. So prioritizing rest ensures that you can consistently produce high quality, impactful copy, without sacrificing when you look at it this way, just a luxury, or for when you arrive. It is a strategic advantage here and now. It empowers you to both show up for your it empowers you to show up for your craft with energy, passion and clarity, ultimately resulted in copy that both performs well and feels aligned and inspired. You get to have both. So how does this actually happen? What does it look like? Well, how to relax? For me, I take a breath of breath as a musical for my family, but the actual day doesn't matter. You can choose Sunday, you can choose Wednesday, you can choose Tuesday. It doesn't matter. The point is you use that day to slow down. So in your life. This idea is not in your business world. I remember the brand being boss. They called it a mandatory lazy day. Um, Christians call it a the Sabbath. You know, are always encouraging. That's why, when you're restless all the time on your feet, actually put it into practice and not be a nice idea for another day that is running. And let me tell you, this day of rest is absolutely the best day of the week every single week, it fuels my work and it reminds me of who I am beyond my work. I don't have to detach my identity from my work, and it's part of who I am, but it's just one layer of who I am, and on this day of rest, it's a layer I get to peel back so that I can remind myself of who I really am at my core, beyond my roles as mother, wife, who I am at the core, beyond my achievements, accomplishments, accolades, this is a full day where I just get to live as me outside of All of those other roles and responsibilities. Okay, so what do you actually do on this day at regress like, Are you sitting around twiddling your thumbs? No. Like, I know a lot of you're like, but I need to do something, even if it's not working then. But then, like, what do I do? Okay, so I think the idea is called high quality leisure. I got it from Cal Newport's book called Digital minimalism. Again, I have it linked in the show notes before sure need to read that book. Total gaging, it absolutely changed how I view leisure and rest time. Because do you feel refreshed after reading that book or Doom scrolling? Probably not. But then there are high quality leisure activities that nourish us, so that can include a casual bike ride around your neighborhood, down the bike path, gardening, laughing, flattering with friends who actually get you or breathing in fresh air on a hike. It can look like three in the lake a local pool, picking up your paintbrush musical instrument, building something with your hands in the garage. These activities give us such a deeper level of satisfaction and fulfillment, more than a screen could ever offer. And I would argue that this day of rest is not an optional luxury. It is the reset you truly need to be able to thrive. It is a weekly non negotiable, and it's going to help so much with this elusive work life balance that we're always talking about and seeking as entrepreneur. So my husband and I have practiced this day of rest for six or seven years now, and it looks different in each life. Stage Right, like as newlyweds, it looks different than in the newborn stage, and it looks different now that we have three schoolers our household, and it's okay for this practice to change with the season of life you are in. In fact, that is normal, and I share more deeply my personal rhythm, rhythms of rest, and what has rest looked like in different seasons of life on the tick tock podcast with Callie Brigham. And then I have that link in the show notes if you want to go give that a listen. I hope it'll be great inspiration for how you can structure your day of rest. But bottom of it is this. Here's what works for us. My phone stays on, do not disturb. Tuck it away, out of sight. It's usually hiding in my closet. So like it's out of sight, out of mind. We big begin with breakfast, a workout and playground. And let me just say, like I actually enjoy working out that is energizing and life building for me and a joy. So I do it on my Sabbath. Working out is like a chore for you. Then do not include that on your Sabbath, these not things that you feel like you should no obligation. You on this. Okay, so we do our workout in the morning, which I also love that our little ones get too stiff in this healthy like going to the gym as a norm for us, and then they get playground time. We have a picnic outside by the playground and grass. We bring our blanket, pack food, and then it's also easy cleanup. Easy easy to make, easy cleanup. We're all about ease. Then nap time follows for our youngest one, while our oldest enjoys quiet time, and kids don't get screen time ever, but it's nice that we also do know screen time on this day and the day of rest includes gardening, baking, reading, painting or outdoor play. It's things that we can do with our kids, even in, you know, these younger years and then evenings and with dinner as a family and our bedtime routine. So this will likely look different for you and your life stage and your family dynamic, and it will likely look again different again for you a year from now, and that's okay. The beauty is, you get to decide what it looks like for you and how it evolves as you evolve. This is a practice that is and ever changing, and that's a good the one thing that I would say stays constant no matter the season is that I don't check emails, I don't sneak in work and I don't scroll social media. Instead, I say yes to myself and to my family. This intentional choice fills my cup and helps me return on Monday refreshed and excited. Let me tell you, once you start, I know this can sound intimidating first, and we're like, I don't know, but then once we did it, oh my gosh, you crave that rest day. You wonder how you ever went without it. It is so good, and it just reminds you, like, the point that you're working for all this hard work that you're doing, like it's accessible to you now you can have that on a weekly basis, not like when you reach financial independence or retirement, or, you know, whatever that that finish line looks like for you. Okay, so now I know what you're thinking. How do you give yourself time to rest without losing productivity? I mean, like, okay, so I say I take time off, but now I'm behind. Now I have to play catch up. Is it worth it? You know, how do you take a day away, an entire 24 hours consecutive, 24 hours not feel behind? Math doesn't matter. I get it. Okay, so let's flip that. Taking time off doesn't set you back, sets you up. I think about it this way. So I used to be a physics major back in college, and my emphasis was in astronomy. So my research I did was actually I remember going out up to in Arizona, up to a telescope on top of a mountain, studying stars and how you set that telescope, if you set it one degree off, like that, could mean light years worth of distance when you get further and further out, like no, that far away. So and I mean, the same thing is here too, like, if you keep hustling for years in the wrong direction you end up so far from where you intended to go. So this weekly realignment, not it only just brings in joy, but it actually could get you where you want to go faster than just hustling and then forgetting, like, Why you What are you doing all this for? And then you're not behind, because think about it this way, if you keep doing more, you are going to keep being busy. I'm gonna say that again. If you keep doing more, you are going to keep being busy, you feel like you cannot rest, I know, but at the same time, you cannot afford not to. This is part of our design. Biblical, in Genesis, in the Bible, even God took a day off. We read that on the seventh day he rested. God rest, whether you believe in God or universe or something greater than yourself, if that, if God needs to rest, how much more do we this idea I got from John Mark COVID, his book, the ruthless elimination of hurry, total game changer and like such an inspiration for us taking our day of rest that has been so instrumental for us throughout the year. So again, highly recommend it, and that is also show notes as well. Okay, so I think at this point there's a misconception that rest means you just like, stop and do nothing, you know. And like I said before, we're not just like, twiddling our thumbs sitting around the house all day. That is not it rest means actively filling up your tank. You're at the gas station putting putting fuel in your tank. So what is it that nourishes you? For me, it's standing barefoot in the sunshine, breathing fresh air, listening to my kids laugh. And the great thing is, these things are not available only when I reach retirement or when I reach financial independence that I'm you know that we're investing for these moments are free and available now, not when you get to a certain level of success in your business. It's also been wild for you now, so resting does not put you behind it better positions you to do what you've been called to do, and now you can do it from a place of toys and restoration. We're no longer running on empty in any or all of the areas of your life. Okay? So three small steps to rest without guilt today. So if you're new to this idea of a day of rest, here are three simple ways to get started. One, put your phone away. Start with one hour. If this feels really intimidating, hide it in the closet and set it to do not disturb you. Should also check out kind of brencher has a book called unplugged. I'll link that in the show notes as well. And she has a great tracker, hourly tracker for how many hours you spend unplugged. So if 24 hours consecutive feels like it did, leave for you right now. Start with just one hour. Start with a couple hours. Track them so that you can see all your unplugged hours, adding up my differences. It's step number two, to rest without guilt. Plan it in your calendar. I literally have this as a reoccurring event in my Google Calendar for real, and I get to look forward to that day on my calendar, and I get to plan a fun activity. We go for a hike, hit the beach, just do something you genuinely love. Maybe my activities are like too grandma status for you, and that's fine. I have an old tall at heart, and I embrace that, but you like you do? Do you find like, what is it that you really enjoy doing? And land it in your calendar. Make it about joy. Make it about connection. And then step three is define your day of rest. So choose the day marketing your calendar and make a list of what you will and will not do. So it's helpful to clearly define it for yourself and what you want it to look like like, because, like I said, it looks a little bit different for anyone else. So I think fundamentals. So for example, things I do include, get outside, journal, take a bath, do my nails, read a book, do a gentle workout. Often that looks like yoga or going for a longer walk. Maybe I'll do a cycling class if I'm really feeling it okay. But again, I love working out. If you don't, then don't do it. Do something more gentle. Things I don't do include check email, open My Computer, scroll on my phone, go shopping or spend money, we treat it as a no spend day because we want to live like what we already have is enough because it is so treat it as a day to embrace what you already have, it is enough. So are you? You really believe that this practice should be no problem for you. If you don't believe that yet, what but you want to do this practice? Take your day of rest. Take your five hours of rest. Take your one hour rest. Start small and build your way up. And before you know it, you're gonna be like 36 hours of rest. What if we can do a 48 hour streak of rest, I promise you, it is so so good. So thank you for sticking with me and seeing how learning to relax is not just about boosting productivity. So yes, that is part of it. It's also about reclaiming the joy already present in your life. True rest goes beyond simply pausing. It's an intentional choice about refueling your creativity, clarity and connection to what truly matters to you. You can stop chasing more and start finding fulfillment right where you are incorporating a weekly day of rest, a day filled with high quality leisure and meaningful moments transform your energy and your lifestyle. Rest is not about doing nothing. It's about engaging activities that nourish you and bring genuine delight, whether it's hiking, gardening or laughing with your loved ones, rest helps you reconnect to your identity beyond your achievements and as high achievers, we need, that we need that so much more that I think the rest of the population, call me by it, that this is for everybody, and this isn't just a luxury. It's a strategic advantage. It fuels your creativity, opens your thinking, it allows you to show up fully. What a gift that is. In our rush to society, you'll be ready to create with purpose, and you'll wonder why you created so long to embrace this life changing practice. So give it a try. Tag me on Facebook or LinkedIn after, not during your 24 hours, but after you do it, and I'll be cheering for you. So on this Christmas Eve episode, I want to leave you with my favorite line of all the Christmas songs. And you know, for real, the very world. Thank you for tuning into the copywriting for COVID podcast.