Slow Burn Saturday - How to Incorporate A Day of Rest

We all deserve days off. Days to rest our mind, body and spirit. Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, a physician and author, identifies seven types of rest in her book "Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity." These types of rest go beyond the conventional notion of sleep and encompass various aspects of our well-being. Here are the seven types of rest:

  1. Physical Rest: This involves giving your body the physical rest it needs through activities such as sleep, relaxation, and breaks from physical exertion.

  2. Mental Rest: Mental rest is about giving your mind a break, which includes reducing cognitive load, quieting mental chatter, and taking a break from intense intellectual activities.

  3. Sensory Rest: Sensory rest involves giving your senses a break from stimuli, such as reducing exposure to noise, light, and other sensory input.

  4. Creative Rest: Creative rest allows you to step away from your usual creative endeavors, providing your mind with a break from problem-solving and idea generation.

  5. Emotional Rest: Emotional rest involves taking a break from emotionally taxing situations, relationships, or activities to allow for emotional rejuvenation.

  6. Social Rest: Social rest is about taking time away from social interactions to recharge, especially if you are an introvert or if socializing becomes draining.

  7. Spiritual Rest: Spiritual rest involves activities that nourish your spirit and connect you to something greater than yourself, whether it's through meditation, prayer, or spending time in nature.

Dr. Dalton-Smith suggests that achieving balance across these seven types of rest is essential for overall well-being and preventing burnout. Each type of rest plays a role in maintaining a healthy and fulfilling life.

I’ve committed to taking one day of rest per week that incorporates every type of rest. You can choose any day that works for you. This is what I’m choosing to practice on Saturdays:

  1. Physical Rest: One hour of restorative yin-yoga.

  2. Mental Rest: 15 minutes of a guided meditation.

  3. Sensory Rest: No morning alarm. I won’t be scheduling anything early in the morning that requires an alarm.

  4. Creative Rest: As a creative professional, I will be doing nothing that is considered work on this day. The goal is to be intentionally unproductive. If I do something creative, like paint, it will be for fun with no goals attached.

  5. Emotional Rest: One hour minimum of ‘me time’. Intentional time spent alone doing what I want to do without guilt or interruption.

  6. Social Rest: No social media on this day.

  7. Spiritual Rest: I will pull one tarot card to connect with higher self.

What does your day of rest look like? I challenge you to give it a try and see how it feels! You might not always be able to incorporate a full day of rest into your week, but the goal is to intentionally plan to whenever possible. Once you start feeling the benefits of intentional rest, it might become a non-negotiable part of your week.

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