Identify and understand which specific activities are most restful for you personally, creating your own unique ‘prescription’ for effective rest.
Recognize and accept that your to-do list will never be fully completed, as new tasks constantly arise, preventing you from waiting for completion to rest.
Allow yourself to happily engage in restful activities without guilt, as feeling bad about resting can diminish its refreshing effects and make the activity unrestful.
Actively notice small restful moments and reframe perceived ‘wasted time’ (like waiting in a queue) as an opportunity for a break to do nothing, rather than feeling annoyed or immediately reaching for your phone.
Avoid overestimating your future availability; recognize that you won’t automatically be more organized or have more spare time unless you proactively say no to commitments in advance.
When considering future commitments, imagine if the request were for next week; if you’d be horrified by the idea due to busyness, then decline it for the future as well.
When trying to free up time, carefully choose what to give up, ensuring you do not sacrifice the activities that are genuinely most restful and beneficial for your mental health.
Challenge the societal glorification of busyness by critically evaluating if your busy activities are truly valuable and aligned with how you want to spend your time.
Prescribe yourself 15 minutes of a beloved, relaxing activity (like gardening) during your workday, consciously deciding not to feel guilty about it for your mental health.
Delete your email application from your phone to reduce constant checking and create more personal time, as this can significantly change your life by removing a source of micro-stress.
Do not look at your phone or emails at 11:30 at night, as it is a very bad idea that can disrupt rest and well-being.
Reflect on the very high standards you set for yourself (e.g., fitness, appearance, gourmet meals, constant self-improvement) as these contribute to feeling busy and pressured.
Actively schedule and protect ‘me time’ for yourself, especially if you tend to prioritize caring for others, as it is crucial for personal well-being and relaxation.
Use music strategically to influence your mood, playing calming music to unwind from a busy day before switching to more lively music if you plan to be active later.
Create different music playlists (e.g., calming, pre-going out) to make it easy to engage in desired moods or activities, aligning with behavior change principles.
Compile a curated list of films or TV shows you want to watch to avoid mindless scrolling and make conscious choices for shared, uplifting relaxation time.
If you must work on weekends, consolidate all tasks into one day (e.g., Saturday) to ensure you have at least one full day (e.g., Sunday) completely free for rest and recovery.
Do not adopt an ‘all or nothing’ mentality for rest; instead, start implementing small changes and taking incremental steps towards incorporating more rest into your life.