I am heading out on a rest and rejuvenation trip in just a few days. My busiest work time of year is during the summer months, so I take the winter time to travel, visit family and take time to rest and rejuvenate.
Rest and rejuvenation are integral components of a healthy lifestyle.
My physical activity routine, builds in days of rest. Days of rest allows my body to integrate the good physical work I have done. It allows time for my muscles to grow, my metabolism to acclimate, my lungs to increase their capacity for breath, my heart to increase endurance for pumping blood and so much more. These rest days could be viewed as ‘lazy’ days but really my body is actively recuperating from the excursion and stress that I put it through.
Unplugging from technology and media, gives my mind and soul time to recuperate from the daily onslaught of information. When I take my rest and rejuvenate time, I check my email minimally and take a break from social media and the news. Giving myself this break allows me to return to life with better focus, attention, and calm.
These breaks also allows me to take a break from my schedule and do as I please when I please, taking in nature, food, family and friends in a relaxing, beautiful environment.
I build in rest and rejuvenate time into every week, month, and year. As you look to the beginning of 2015, I hope you can begin to build in rest and rejuvenate time for yourself as well.
Weekly Rest and Rejuvenate activities (1-2 hours/week):
- Take a yoga class once per week. Find one that suits your temperament and needs, one that leaves you feeling, centered, relaxed and happy
- Take a walk in nature. Connecting with nature cultivates a greater sense of well-being.
- Meet a friend for a chat. Having a friend to share the daily highs and lows with helps to ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’
- Morning pages. Morning pages is a journal style. Each morning when you wake, take a few minutes to free-flow write for two pages. Don’t pause to edit or think about what you are writing, just write down every thought that comes into your head.
Monthly Rest and Rejuvenate activities (1-2 days/month):
- Sleep in. One day a month schedule a day that you don’t have to get up at certain time.
- Take a pampering day or two. Create your own spa at home by turning off the phone and setting aside the computer. Take a long bubble bath, read a book, listen to music, give yourself a facial and pedicure and just enjoy a day in your jammies.
- Family Day. Plan a relaxing day with your family either at home or out in nature. Take a nice long hike and picnic. Or plan a quiet day at home playing games together.
Yearly Rest and Rejuvenate activities (1-2 weeks/year):
- Get away from your daily grind and truly unplug from technology and take the time to plug into yourself.
- Retreat with nature
- Retreat with yoga
- Retreat with family
- Retreat with self
- However you choose to do it, just do it.
Monhegan Wellness offers a variety of opportunities to connect with nature, explore yoga, and learn about healthy diet and lifestyle. Check out some opportunities to UnPlug & Get Healthy with Monhegan Wellness on my Retreats and Workshops page. In addition, I work with groups and individuals to create custom retreats to meet your needs.
Happy New Year, Cheers to Health and Happiness in 2015.