Reversing the Trend: Why Rest and Recovery Should Be Your Priority

Last week was one of the those life reminders that things will not always go our way and that those challenges (or less than ideal) times are what HELP us in a variety of ways.

I got a cold bug last week ('tis the season) and was away from the studio all week. That's never fun. (Please watch for my upcoming book release: "Man colds: The Harsh Reality") Two negative COVID tests last week and 5-days (and a bit) from the onset of the first "uh oh" symptoms and I'm finally feeling better. It was a week that was supposed to be quite busy and alot of fun (work, coffee chat with colleagues to end the week, tennis with friends, music practice with friends, music gig ... Lots happening) . It quickly became the exact opposite of busy.

As I look back to last week, I really felt like I did alot of SMART things. One of those things being that I ALLOWED MY BODY TO REST and RECOVER. With that in mind, here is the quote I shared on the board at the studio for this week:

"Rest is NOT a reward. It’s a neurobiological imperative.”

—Jennifer E. Wolkin, PhD, psychologist and the author of "Quick Calm"

We not only treat REST and RECOVERY as a "reward" in our modern world, but we also view it as "weakness" otherwise. It's more "desirable" and a show of "success" if we push through or go until we have nothing left to give (be it at work, physically, emotionally or mentally). We have the mentality that rest and recovery is something we EARN. Yet our physiology works on the exact opposite principle. Mother Nature designed us, as a part of nature, to live in a balance of work & rest.

The Balancing Act

As a reminder - BALANCE is NOT a static state. It's constant subtle adjustments to find your 'balance point' (which is different for everyone). Think of balancing on one foot. We wobble - a little or alot. Either way, it's a simple example. The concept, is TRUE for everyone and not something that any of us are "above". It's nature. WE are nature.

When we work (physically, emotionally, mentally etc...) our "work" side of the scale weighs heavy and the scale becomes unbalanced. Therefore, the only way to bring the scale back toward it's balance point is to off-set that "work" with REST and RECOVERY. Longevity and Deep Health can only happen when this approach is practiced. Instead, we're taught that working "harder" is how we succeed and "be better". Yet working harder will eventually overload the "work" side of the scale so much and so hard, that it'll shoot the "rest" side clear off ... Leaving us burnt out and driven into the ground!

STOP trying to "work through the sickness"

In the past I had that mentality as well; "I need to just push through". Physically that's how we show we're "tough" and it helps the bank account to not miss work. But that is NOT the approach to take.

Our AMAZING physiology is NOT resting when we're sick (be it a cold or worse!). It's very much under stress and very much working around the clock to fight the virus that has found it's way to us. By "working through it" we ADD more stress to our system, not allowing our body to do the amazing things it does for us. Though sometimes we can't "feel it", it's ADDED STRESS that is only working against our body's natural defense mechanisms. The idea is that we have been taught and have been practicing IGNORING what our body is telling us. And therefore, we take the "I'm gonna be a hero" route and go about our normal days.

UGH!

First of all, the pandemic opened our eyes to how viruses are easily spread and the various ways we can do our part to not spread viruses. One of which is to stay home! Now when I get sick, even if I feel I "could" work, I give my clients a heads up and the option (nearly all are happy to wait it out). In the past my instinct would be "but then I don't get paid" (the joys of self employment) - once again showing how we ignore our physiology... and I'd tough it out.

But not all had too wait...

The pandemic opened some of us "old school mentality folks" to the possibilities of remote work. Though I was definitely not feeling good last week, I was able enough to jump on a couple video sessions with my couple clients who do so weekly. I just didn't sound good. Therefore, no one misses out! Those couple sessions however were my entire client workload for the 4-days I was off. Financially that's not a good week right? Yet, I attribute that time taken to rest and slow down to my feeling better now. By the weekend symptoms were settling down.

Rest & Recovery is an ACTIVE Process

Here is how we have to be open to a different mindset than we're conditioned to. Our modern world works in extremes: If you're not "ON" then you're "OFF". But we are not binary beings. We're HUMAN BEINGS. We should NOT live at either end of the extreme. We may dip into an extreme from time to time, but for our health's sake it should be a brief visit at either extreme, and then go back to living somewhere dancing in between extremes.

Let me show you the balance over the 4-work days while I was off sick:

-Studying my Sleep, Stress Management & Recovery certification course (SSR)

-Getting out for a hike into the woods 2/4 days for fresh air and sunshine.

-Reading

-2 client video calls on day 3/4 (regular video clients)

-Watching some shows & movies

-Hot showers

-Epsom salts baths w/essential oils (eucalyptus being my go to to clear my snotty-head)

-Saline nasal rinses

-Garggling with salt water

-Apple cider vinegar + water

-Honey

-Herbal teas

-Lozenges

Ironic that while I'm sick and needed rest, I finshed my SSR certification course. Yet when I take all I've learned from it and look at how I managed my week, I was able to clearly see the positive approach taken: REST and RECOVER. Don't be a hero. Set the ego aside and take the time you need! After I'd study or read a bit, I would take a break, watch some tv and chill on the couch. Some days I'd hit the books again later and other days I wouldn't. Regardless of how much work I'd do or not do, I always did SOMETHING to try to move the process along of working this 'bug' out of my system and give my physiology the opportunity to work it's magic.

I've worked with several clients over my decades in the industry who prided themselves on never missing work... even when they're sick (pre-pandemic). While that may impress some people, I do believe many of us have changed their views of that approach. The old "perfect attendance" record that was once celebrated has been shown to be not so "smart". Either you're working while sick at times (when your body needs the rest) OR you're working constantly rather than taking vacation time (which again - is rest)... I'm ranting now - sorry.

What I can confidently share as well about these (*insert sarcastic tone*) "super-hero like clients" is that they all had one thing in common; They ALL suffered from various negative aspects of health such as injury, burnout, weight gain, stress management issues or being on so many medications they could open their own pharmacy as a side gig. These things are NOT a coincidence.

The more we learn to WORK WITH our physiology and Mother Nature, the more efficiently we'll recover and the better we'll feel day after day.

Work some ~ Rest some.

It's not rocket science. It's a way of living. And a SMART one at that!

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*Warning: Side effects of Rest & Recovery may include...

-Improved biomarkers (blood pressure, blood sugars etc... )

-Improved mood

-Improved resilience during busy times and/or times of illness

-Improved energy

-Improved mental clarity

-Improved emotional energy capacity

....

I think you get the idea.