7 Tips for Creating a “Rest-filled” Life

“Busyness is the plague of modern America,” states a recent news commentator.  America is obsessed with busyness. When asked “How are you doing?” the typical answer is, “I’m so busy,” and a list of unrelenting activities follows. How do we find rest in the midst of a culture pushing us to constantly perform?

First, we need to give ourselves permission to rest. And I personally believe anything my Creator promotes, trumps the culture’s insistent demands. God promotes rest. He not only tells us to take one day of rest out of every seven, but tells us that He, personally, wants to give us rest. David describes how God perfectly provides soul rest, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:3)

So how do you find rest?

Here are seven suggestions for rest:

• Take brief breaks. Whether you simply put your head down on your desk, close your eyes while sitting on the couch, stare out the window and let your mind wander,  get up and get a glass of water or juice… take a break. Give your mind and entire body a moment’s respite before returning to your previous task.
• Move. I’ve found taking a relaxed, outside walk is one of the most refreshing things I can do.  Feeling the sun on my skin, a breeze in my hair, listening to the birds sing, and breathing in fresh air is both relaxing and invigorating at the same time. Any kind of exercise enables the mind to relax while the methodical motion of movement relieves tension and rekindles interest in the day’s activities.
• Create a Routine. Routine alone brings about rest. We can relax when we know what the day will hold and are fulfilling a routine we no longer have to think about. Constant chaos, though it may seem more spontaneous and less restrictive, only encourages stress and tension. Not knowing what’s going to happen next heightens anxiety, robbing us of restful thoughts and peace of mind.
• Spend Quiet Time with God. Since rest is a prerequisite to a good life as ordained by your Creator, spending time with God in quiet prayer, meditation and thoughtfulness is the most wonderful way to find rest. He alone can bring that “peace that passes all understanding” to our souls and provide the rest we so desperately need.
• Prepare for Each Week. Use a calendar to list birthdays, events, and appointments. This relieves the mind from trying to remember everything that is required in a day, week or month. Review your calendar every Sunday evening before the week begins. Though surprises will still happen, you will be prepared to meet them rather than discovering everything that happens throughout the day or week is a surprise because you failed to plan and are unprepared.
• Remove Artificial  Stimulants. Whether coffee, tea, soda, or energy drinks, the caffeine contained in these provides artificial energy and robs you of rest. Caffeine raises your heart-rate and “pumps you up,” but the forced activity that results only exhausts your body and mind leaving you often limp and depressed. Rather than using caffeine to give you false energy, rest for true energy.
• Take Naps and Sleep Well. Brief naps of 20 or 45 minutes prove a positive means of restoring energy. But sleeping 8-10 hours a night is the best remedy to replenish and restore your body’s resources. Prepare for bed by reading a book, drinking warm mild, listening to soft instrumental music, dimming the lights, taking a hot bath, or lighting a candle. These things inform your body that it’s time to move into a restful state.