Why You Should Resolve to Rest This New Year
For a successful, healthy, and happy year make rest your number one resolution in 2022
When we’re busy making New Year’s Resolutions, taking a rest isn’t usually top of our list of priorities, especially after the holidays when many of us are feeling as if we’ve overindulged. It’s likely you’ll be prioritizing dropping any bad habits, and replacing them with new, healthier ones. A new exercise routine is at the top of the list for many people at this time of year, often accompanied by a healthy eating regimen. Perhaps you’ve decided this is the year when you’ll finally get organized, and vow to actually make use of that daily planner you got gifted, or start implementing the Pomodoro Technique on a daily basis.
Now, these good intentions are all very honorable and valuable, and can definitely improve your quality of life in the long run. But they are also just intentions, and we all know that even the best of intentions are hard to fulfill. A pessimist might say that by making new years resolutions we are simply lying to ourselves, and setting ourselves up for failure –and the statistics definitely don’t lie. The failure rate for New Year’s resolutions is said to be about 80 percent, according to U.S. News & World Report, with most losing their resolve by mid-February.
So should you give up on new years resolutions altogether? Not necessarily. There is nothing wrong with having goals, and the new year is as good a time as any to set them. But we believe that there is one rather radical resolution that you should be making first if you want to follow through on all those other good intentions.
May we suggest that you make 2022 the year you resolve to rest?
The importance of rest
It’s almost ridiculous that we have to remind ourselves to rest, but the nature of our modern lifestyles has made it almost impossible to take a real break. Even when you think you’re taking a break, you’re probably not taking the type of quality rest that the body and brain need to truly reset.
You may think that in order to keep up with all your responsibilities, you can’t afford to take any downtime. Hustle culture has made workaholism a lifestyle choice – and an aspirational one at that. In the neverending world of hustle, career success only is not enough. You need to have the workout routine, the diet, the wardrobe, the home, and the car to match. But the problem with “the hustle” is that it is neverending, and thus, unattainable. We will never “have it all”, whatever that means.
However, if it’s success, health, and happiness that you chase, rest is absolutely fundamental. Not only essential to maintaining good mental and physical health, but quality rest can also boost creativity, increase productivity, promote well-being, reduce stress, improve mood, and strengthen relationships.
Now, are you ready to rest?
Read: How to Get the Rest You Need This Holiday Season
Real rest
Do you remember the last time you really took a good rest? Maybe you’re reading this during the Holiday Season, with your feet up and your belly full of good food. You may look like you’re resting. You may even feel that you are. But are you, really?
Let’s be honest, most of us are scrolling through our phones while we take a break during the workday, not to mention that dreaded late-night doomscrolling habit that is so hard to break! It’s ironic that despite all the technology we have to make our lives easier, in the digital world it is almost impossible to switch off.
So what’s the problem with reading a few online articles, or enjoying a scroll through Instagram, or streaming a festive flick or two? Well, in theory, there’s nothing wrong with any of these activities. The problem is that the technology is designed to keep hold of your attention for longer than you want to give it. We all know how hard it is to put down the phone sometimes, and yet we still pick it up! If it feels like the technology has more control over you than you have over it, then it’s definitely time to set some boundaries.
Read: How Leaning into Pain Can Help Manage Your Distraction
A digital reset
The digital detox is becoming increasingly popular, especially at the beginning of the new year. It can seem like an extreme approach but it can really help you to get a hold on your tech habits. Going cold turkey on tech means you can really experience the joy of missing out. You will notice yourself filling the hours you previously spent scrolling with other more meaningful activities.
By cutting down on unnecessary tech you can tune out the noise and distractions and really focus on what you want to achieve this year. A digital detox is also the perfect way to kick off a transition to a lifestyle of Digital Minimalism, which you can read about in our full guide.
Once you have eliminated the extra tech that was distracting you before, you will notice those moments of rest and relaxation become more fulfilling, not to mention more effective. Imagine the simple joy of reading a book for a couple of hours, uninterrupted, or taking a screen-free walk with your family! These simple pleasures are the things that we are rapidly losing to the digital world, but they are absolutely crucial to our wellbeing.
Read: The Life Changing Magic Of A Social Media Break
Build rest into your routine
While the holiday season can be a source of stress, for those of us that are fortunate enough to have some extra free time it’s a great opportunity to start practicing some quality rest opportunities. But when we go back to work and the daily grind sets in, motivation invariably begins to wane it’s going to get a little more difficult to implement.
That’s why it’s important to build those opportunities for rest and relaxation into your daily routine. It might seem self-indulgent at first, but when you start to notice the benefits of taking regular, scheduled downtime, you’ll soon shake off any guilt! Once you’ve implemented your new routine of R&R, you’ll be in a much better position to start setting and achieving other goals.
As we move towards a future of work that includes more remote and hybrid workplaces, the line between our work and personal lives becomes increasingly blurred as technology infiltrates our every waking moment. That’s why it’s up to us to set the boundaries, and take control of how much of our attention we give, and when.
At Freedom, we’re happy to be a part of a better future of work that allows time for everything that inspires you. We hope you enjoy a restful holiday season and we wish you happy, healthy, and productive days in 2022!
