A balancing act between stop and go

When you were a kid, you probably played a game called “Red Light, Green Light”, where everyone was lined up side by side, except for one kid who was on the opposite end of the yard facing away from the group. The person not lined up with everyone else, was the light caller. With his or her back turned to the group, they would say “Green Light!” and everyone took off running for the finish line to be the first to tag the caller, but at any moment “Red Light!” might be called and you had to freeze. If the caller caught you moving after he or she had called “Red Light,” then you had to go back to the starting line.

Image by Laura Mauger

In that game you had to be ready to go, but you also needed to be ready to stop. If you didn’t, all the progress you had made would be gone, and you would have to start over from the beginning. You had to find the balance to switch between the two. 

Sometimes I wish knowing when to rest was as simple as someone yelling “Red Light!”. However, if I listen to my body it tends to whisper “Let me rest” and if I don’t listen to its cries, eventually it will scream it, when I inevitably end up getting sick or am just so mentally worn down that there’s no energy left for anything. There’s a tendency in me to focus on productivity. How many tasks did I accomplish today? How many things were crossed off the list? How many steps closer am I to my goal? But, I am not a factory, and neither are you. We’re people, entrusted with the precious and powerful gift of creativity.

Creativity & Rest

Creativity needs periods of rest to flourish, because your body needs rest to flourish. Rest is not earned, it’s not a reward. It needs to be our starting place, and our in-between. When we have allowed time for our minds to pause from the go, go, go we have the chance for new ideas to form and to breathe life into those ideas.

Have I perfected my balance between stop and go? Not even close! But, I am learning. Little by little, day by day, I am learning to rest. 

Some practical ways to incorporate rest

These are ways that I have tried to make rest a part of my own life. Some might be considered active rest because you’re still physically doing something while others are more passive versions of rest. 

Take 1 day a week to not do any work

Pick a day in your week where you don’t focus on work, instead take that time to just be. That can mean playing games, watching movies, going for a walk, hanging out with friends or maybe even just taking a nap. If your schedule doesn’t allow for a full day, try a half day or a couple of hours. The point is no work!

Eat lunch, don’t work it 

Meal times are like pre-designated rest stops during the day so when lunch comes around, close the computer, put down the tools, and spend the next 30 minutes eating (or longer if you have the time). Help your mind make the transition from work to rest by physically moving somewhere else to eat lunch, like a different room, to the table, or even outside if the weather is nice!

Go for a walk

I personally really like going for walks and they can be a form of rest even though you’re moving. It’s another transition type of activity that gets your brain from one state to another. A walk doesn’t have to be long, 15 minutes is a nice short one to get your muscles moving and your mind shifted. After lunch or in the afternoon/evening are usually my go to times to walk. However, right after breakfast before I start my day has been good too. Sometimes the walks bring inspiration for new projects because my mind has room to think. You don’t have to walk in silence either, you can listen to music or your favorite podcast. If possible, bring a buddy along and have some good conversation.

Lay on the floor

This may sound silly but it can be helpful. Lay down on the floor on your back with your arms stretched out and your legs either bent or straightened (whichever is more comfortable), set a timer for 10 minutes, close your eyes and just breathe in and out. 

Catch some z’s

Sleeping is kind of a no brainer, everybody needs sleep but we’re also quick to sacrifice it for work. Make sleeping 7-8 hours a priority and see if your cognitive ability takes a turn for the better. Occasionally taking 20-30 minute naps during the day can also help give energy to finish the day well.

Learning to rest is a process

Finding your balance between the stop and go takes time. Like most things in life it’s a process that we have to learn and a rhythm we have to find. There will be days when we can only find pockets of rest and others where we can sink into it like a refreshing pool, but the more you make pausing part of your routine the greater chance you give your creativity bloom.