The importance of rest in a global pandemic

 

With a few months before the end of the holiday year, people are finding it challenging to take all of their annual leave. As well as having too much work, the reasons given include, 'there isn't anything to do' or 'I can't go anywhere'. Even in such difficult times when the voluntary & community sector is more stretched than ever, it is important to get a decent break from work. Given though that we can't travel, stay in a hotel, go out to dinner or even get together with friends in the middle of a national lockdown, what can you do?

The point of annual leave is to have a break from work, and taking this rest is important for our mental health and wellbeing. We can not help others whilst our own wellbeing is suffering. However not all rest is equal, and since our options this year are limited, it might be useful to re-think what the best kinds of rest are for you. There are two distinct approaches. One is to tackle your break like a project, planning and executing a challenging and meaningful programme. The other is to chill and relax. Both I think have their place.

Active rest

In the book Rest; why you get more done when you work less, Alex Soojung-Kim Pang suggests that rest should be taken seriously and practiced. He says that being deliberate about rest and having a tangible plan helps us to recognise its value. He talks about 'active rest' which is mentally absorbing and needs focus. This could be a challenging activity like learning a language or taking on a physical challenge. Sometimes this can provide a connection to what you used to do with your own parents, and it can also provide the novelty of new experiences. What is clear from reading this book is that physically and mentally absorbing activity is more restful than we might expect, and therefore a break that includes both provides a restful antidote to work. 

Chilling out

Does the above sound exhausting? Maybe you have just had enough and want to read a book, lounge about on the sofa and watch TV. Those are also good forms of deliberate rest. Claudia Hammond in The Art of Rest: How to find respite in the modern age lists the top 10 activities that people find restful - the number one is reading, followed by spending time in nature, being alone, listing to music, doing nothing in particular, a good walk, a nice hot bath, daydreaming, watching TV and mindfulness. However you choose to spend your time please be kind to yourself - your annual leave is not a competition, and doing that 'nothing in particular' is absolutely fine.

One of the most important elements of a holiday, common to both the active and relaxing approaches is to detach & disconnect from work. Checking or answering work emails does not help to achieve this disconnection. If you do have to be available try to set expectations about how the office contacts you, to explain to colleagues what kind of emergency might be a reasonable justification for them to contact you. Social media is also an activity that appears on neither list, so consider a break from social media as well.

With a beach break in Spain out of the question, here are a few ideas of things you can do in your annual leave during lockdown. Some are physically or mentally absorbing, and some are pure indulgence. The joy of lockdown holidays are that they do not cost much, either in terms of money or carbon footprint, and most of these suggestions are free. I hope it will provide a little inspiration for your own creative approaches.

• Go somewhere different. Although the options may be limited at the moment this forces you to be creative. Try walking or cycling down streets that you have never been down before, or go the opposite direction to your usual route. Try the 'blue test' where you take a picture of everything you can find that's blue. Turn it into a sensory walk, by noticing what you can see, smell and hear.
• Set yourself a creative challenge. Try papier mâché, make your own soap, try drawing yourself, write a poem, or short story. Stuck for ideas? Look at 64 Million Artists, whose dothinkshare.com site exists to inspire anyone who wants to run their own creative activities, share their work and be part of a supportive community
• Buy some seeds and grow some vegetables or flowers
• Have a day of doing nothing. When was the last time you had no responsibilities? No alarm clocks, no plans, no expectations. Do exactly as you please, and enjoy that delicious feeling of freedom or boredom. Take the day as it comes and if you feel like doing something, do it! 
• Learn to cook a new cuisine. Whilst the idea of sourdough bread may be 'so last lockdown', there is a wealth of amazing cuisines out there to try. You can easily find videos on YouTube to teach you how to make Mexican food (or a vegan version).
• Re-set your physical health. Set yourself a physical challenge such as doing yoga every day (try Yoga with Adriene) or walking 15,000 steps (try to find a different route each day)
• Take a day's trip by foot. Take a packed lunch and flask of coffee and plan the route beforehand.
• Explore music that is new to you, sing along to old favourites or (my favourite) have a disco in the living room
• Read a book. Many local authorities are offering e-loans so you could try a different genre than you would usually read. You could take the opportunity to re-read that book you have been meaning to for ages, or tackle something you wouldn't normally pick.
• Make an effort to sleep well, eat healthily, drink plenty of water and exercise regularly. This might seem self-evident, but it's something I have to remind myself regularly when I collapse exhausted onto the sofa and have an urge to reach for a large glass of wine. A refreshing break requires you to be at your best.

Everyone is entitled to a break, and if you disengage, disconnect and use the time deliberately you will get the optimum benefits that a proper rest can bring. Most importantly, cut yourself some slack - it is not always possible to try or finish a challenging activity, and whether or not we are in lockdown, we above all need to be kind to ourselves.