“Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.”
― Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now
I’m having an enforced rest day today. 🙂 It’s part of my Lyme Disease Recovery Program, and it was prescribed by my Doctor.
So I’ll keep this blog short!
Enforced Rest is about days or chunks of time where you are required to rest. I mean, properly REST. No working is involved. And you can’t go shopping, meet friends for coffee, clean the house, write your memoir or catch up on chores. Instead you are required to lie on your bed and nap, sit in a chair and sunbathe, loll about, read a book and then rest some more.
The world won’t fall apart if you take some time out for yourself, and if it does (or would if you took time off), then it’s time for a re-think on how you’re living your life or the lack of support and realistic expectations. No-one can live like a machine!
For more on burnout and the exhaustion epidemic read this post:
In my life enforced rest means short work days, and days each week that have zero activity or commitments.
Enforced rest gives your body permission to heal fully. It allows you to become accustomed to slowing down rather than constantly drawing on your adrenals to keep push, push, pushing through being unwell or exhausted.
How tired are you?
Maybe you would benefit from a prescription of some Enforced Rest Days too!
Thinking of you, and sending you love. Be gentle with you today. Live kindly, most especially towards yourself ♥ Nicole xx
Sounds like a wonderful practice. I really appreciate you for writing this. Thank you.
Hope you enjoyed your rest! Love those days. Took them regularly as a single person, but ironically need them now more with having a young family and so little time for that. Taking some today though! X
How did you know ? it ‘s like reading my mind . I will take you wonderful advice and give myself permission .
Cherry x
Thinking of you Nicole.xxx
I would of course have no idea of this Enforced Rest of which you speak 😉
In all seriousness, this whole year has been enforced rest and it has taken me a good long part of it to have me be at peace with the fact I need this. I’m now curious how next year will shape up where I try to find a new balance that ensures Enforced Rest days occur around the things I want to do.
Enjoy smelling the roses, hydrangeas, Eau de Dog, possibly more rain…
🙂 thank you x
To my way of thinking, rest is what you find in another, when one gets to be comfortable with a surrounding or a loved one. I have noticed many times my two young, just teenage daughters after my wife and I divorced, would come to their grandmothers home, over the years and sleep 12 to 16 hours straight. Yes my mother would get no actual time with her granddaughters, really only the hello conversation and the cheery goodbyes, but she provide a security of rest her grand daughters needed in their world. Nice post Nicole, ta for the re memory. BTW of your five cows, I would be the way facing the other way in life.
Hope you can really take a break and feel better love. xxx