The Secret is Rest

By Steve Green -


You’re not getting the results you want because you’re not getting the rest you need. Believe it or not, creative work is draining. It takes mental and physical strength to engage in it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun and fulfilling. However, if you are not careful you can easily burn out.  Yes, you heard that right, being creative can physically drain you.

 

My experience as an artist has taught me a lot about the effects making art can have one’s body. They range from mental and physical issues but stems from one major mistake creatives make across all disciplines. Failure to take heed to getting proper rest. It’s a simple concept, yet often overlooked or totally ignored.

 

There is a case to be made for artists and creators to make rest an essential element in their daily routine. I would argue, you are likely to be more productive by implementing frequent periods of rest in your creative practice. Studies have shown the effects rest has on our physical and emotional states. These problems range from a wide range of health problems such as difficulty in thinking, impaired judgment, increased frequency of accidents and weight gain. Take a moment and look at a few of the vast benefits from simply taking a break.

 

  • Creativity: Rest puts your brain in a state of innovation, allowing new ideas and perspectives to flourish.

  • Physical health: Taking breaks helps prevent injury by keeping your mind alert.

  • Mental health: Rest improves focus and reduces feelings of anxiety and being overwhelmed.

  •  Generating ideas: Taking frequent breaks from your work helps you to create new ideas and improve on existing ones.

  • Fresh ideas: Resting properly can allow you to return to your work with a fresh perspective.

  • Creative growth: Resting periods can inspire growth and fuel artistic productivity.

Rest plays a major role in how our brain develops great art, products and services we all enjoy. When we are properly rested, we are more relaxed. This is what puts us in a state of flow and peak at our creative levels. When we overwork ourselves to exhaustion, we become disengaged. Clarity and oneness are taken from our gift. On the other hand, rest replenishes and restores physical and emotional resources needed to create. There is an old saying, you can’t cook what you don’t have in the fridge. Likewise, you can’t create if you don’t have  an inspiration spark within you, at least not effectively.

 

Now that you know the importance of rest and how it relates to your personal creative practice let’s talk the kinds of strategies you can implement into your creative routine.

 

  • Set a timer and focus with no distractions for a set period of time then take a break.

  • Take walks. Around the block, in the park or to a local store. Doesn’t have to be long or far just get your body moving. 
  • Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea.

  • Pray, meditate, exercise. Anything that will calm your mind.

  • A short power nap can be a powerful way to recharge your brain. Just be sure to set an alarm.

  • Get some sunlight. Sit outside if the weather permits and soak in the beauty of nature.

 

 

Remember, rest is a critical part of the creative process. You are not lazy or weak for taking a break from your work. It is wise and even professional to implement such practices. Taking breaks and resting gives the subconscious mind opportunity to process, generate new ideas, and make connections. Rest is not just stepping away from your work. Rest is entering into a space where creativity can flourish.

 

 

Location: Newark, NJ, USA
Welcome to The Mind Your Newness Blog site. My name is Steve Green, an Apostle and Artist. I write about the creative process to help others transform their lives. I love to share ideas and practices that I have learned to help others find their unique and authentic creative voice.

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