Are You Suffering From Burnout?

7 Types of Rest to Be Your Best Self

Embrace Who You Are

It was 15 minutes over the scheduled time but we were in the midst of a discussion that could not get cut short. We shifted into discussing my current endeavors with climate tech startups, the newsletter, podcast, and investing. That led me to sharing what in this inspired this refocus on conscious design — the death of my dad.

Ultimately, I knew I was not done grieving and had wanted to run my own business for a while. Doing so gave me the space to run at my own pace in a society that mandates 2 weeks to grieve the death of a loved one and then it’s back to work as if you’re not struggling to stay alive yourself.

Often being vulnerable creates a space for others to be open about their own struggles. As Brene Brown says,

“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we actually are. Choosing authenticity means cultivating the courage to be imperfect, to set boundaries, and to be vulnerable.”

I share about my dad openly because first, I have really come to peace with his passing and second, because I believe society does not talk about death enough. It’s shushed, swept under the rug, and “please numb yourself in the manner you’d prefer.” None of that resonates with me.

My opening up about how I got on my current business path with The Craft and the Sustainable Growth Playbook, which launched yesterday, ⚡️ led to my guest sharing about her struggles with burnout. She had a conversation with her therapist on what she had outside of work that was meaningful and she couldn’t come up with anything. This really upset her (for obvious reasons).

So often, we type As, really struggle with how much we commit to work. The truth is more often than not it’s because we’re searching for meaning, worthiness, or even a distraction in our work. Speaking for myself, I used to tie what I could accomplish professionally to my worth as a person and I used to see what income threshold I could achieve as an indicator of what I was capable of.

Pouring into our work is great when it aligns with our purpose and is done in healthy ways that also allows us to uphold our boundaries and prioritize our wellbeing. Unfortunately, we live in a culture that does not exactly encourage this. So what to do about it?

Burnout is your body talking to you. Your body is intelligent and it’s time to start listening to it.

It’s no easy feat to:

1. Dig into why you are working so hard

2. Rewire your brain (therapy, journaling, and healing work is all great for this)

3. Start to take action that upholds boundaries and wellbeing

You are an incredible person and just by existing you are worthy. 🙌 You need and deserve “rest.” You deserve self-care. You actually NEED self-care to be the best version of yourself. You know what I did yesterday after I hit the publish button on the Sustainable Growth Playbook? I rewarded and prioritized myself by RESTING.

While doing the internal work is necessary, combining this with taking action can be a great loop that feeds into itself. 🔄

Sometimes we get tripped up with why we’re feeling burnt out. “What’s going on, I slept 7 hours last night?” The truth is there are many ways that we can nourish our mind, body and soul.

This is why today I’d like to share the 7 types of rest with you. 👇🏽

1. Physical Rest

Physical rest is a crucial aspect of overall well-being, encompassing both passive and active forms. While quality sleep is fundamental, physical rest also includes activities like stretching, yoga, qi gong, tai chi, leisurely walks, and the list goes on. Honestly walking is so massively underrated. This is something I spoke about with podcast guest Thijs Kraan; it’s a big source of inspiration for us both. Walking releases endorphins, neurotransmitters that promote feelings of happiness that reduce stress and anxiety. Ergonomic work setups and taking breaks should also be included.

2. Mental Rest

Mental rest plays a vital role in allowing our minds to recharge and function optimally. It involves practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and taking breaks, especially on hectic work days. Engaging in hobbies that promote relaxation and allow our minds to wander can also contribute to mental rest. Meditation has been life changing for me. Now I do it daily. It’s worth noting that we also need to be conscious of mental chatter when we are not meditating. What are you thinking when you’re doing a task? How do you talk to yourself? By being intentional about mental activity, we can reduce mental fatigue, enhance focus, and boost creativity and problem-solving abilities.

3. Emotional Rest

Emotional rest is essential for nurturing our well-being and fostering healthy relationships with ourselves and others. It involves acknowledging and expressing our feelings in a constructive manner, seeking support when needed, and setting boundaries in emotionally challenging situations. We need to feel our feelings, especially the negative ones, in order to release. Some ideas for this: journaling, moving, dancing, punching a pillow, screaming into the abyss 😉, writing a letter to a person and not sending it. Taking time for emotional rest improves emotional intelligence, cultivates resilience, and promotes inner peace and balance.