Olympic athletes rest – and they value it. They know rest is required in order to perform at peak levels. It’s not a luxury. Not a nice to have. It’s a necessity.
Our bodies and our minds were designed to ebb and flow. The inhale is tied to the exhale. The out breath always follows the in breath.
Consider what would happen if we only breathed in.
After a while, our bodies innate wisdom would take over. We would faint and subconsciously our body would force us to take that exhale. Because it would be a matter of survival.
In our work worlds, we seem to only focus on our Inhale: The Drive. The Push. The Go. We’ve forgotten the value and power of the Exhale: The Release. The Relief. The Letting Go.
Sometimes, it feels as if we’ve somehow convinced ourselves that the Exhale is just not needed at work
The mind is so powerful. It can convince us of so much. We can override our internal warning systems and convince ourselves of just about anything. Which is a feat – and can be extremely beneficial – as any high performance athlete working on mile 18 to 23 in a marathon can attest to… However, sometimes we don’t need to convince ourselves to push harder. Sometimes we need to question our desires, our motives, and even our actions.
If athletes don’t listen to their bodies, they can blow out a knee, break a bone, or create lasting damage that can kill a career. They’ve been trained to listen and decipher between these two worlds – the push and the pause. The inhale and the exhale.
Collectively, in our work worlds – it’s time we listen too.
We are in a collective state of exhaustion, as seen by high levels of stress, burnout and employee turnover. This is most recently evidenced by The Great Resignation, but signs and signals of this collective overwhelm and exhaustion were on our horizon long before. Unfortunately, it is not only us, but also our families and broader communities that are feeling the brunt of all of this collective strain. We need a pause. We need a rest. We need a collective Exhale.
How might we benefit if we learned the art of Rest at work?
What might our work worlds and personal lives look like if we learned to pair the Exhale with our Inhale?
When I first started playing with Rest at work, it scared me. Some part of me feared that I’d turn lazy overnight. Or somehow work wouldn’t get done. Or somehow something would break. Or worst of all, that I would fail. Miserably.
But what I found was the opposite.
Rest energized me. It made me clearer. Stronger. Motivated. Much more motivated.
Over the years, I’ve learned what peak performance athletes know to be true. That Rest, is vital. In fact, tapping into Rest is actually just me unleashing my superpower.
Rest primes me to perform at the highest level possible.
This notion of Rest, of allowing the “full exhale” and the benefits that arise from it is documented and backed by research (see below for examples). Consider what could arise with more energy and engagement that might arise from rest. Look to the performance athletes, they know. When high energy is given a moment’s pause – when rest and recovery are built into a training program – the result is more power. Better results.
The Rest brings the Win.
Imagine for a moment, what that might look like within our corporate settings. It’s time we learn the art of Rest at work. It’s time we pair the Exhale with our Inhale. We’ll be stronger for it. Our work outcomes will be better for it. And all our relationships – from vendors and clients, to our families and broader communities – will reap the rewards from it.
Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoyed. Below are some reflection questions if you wish to dive deeper. Also, be sure to comment below if you have ideas, comments or questions. We love to hear from you.
Reflection Questions to Consider:
- What is your relationship with Rest?
- How do you integrate Rest for yourself into your work week and daily activities?
- When you Rest, what arises out of that space for you? How does your body feel afterwards, how about your mind? What impact does Rest have on your actions?
- Consider the teams you work on or lead. How do you collectively incorporate moments of Rest or take advantage of a collective “Exhale”?
- Are you familiar with the latest research on overwork and the value of Rest at work? Here’s a few studies we love:
- The Impact of Time Pressure on Creativity: Creativity Under the Gun (hbr.org)
- ILO Future of Work Research Paper Series by Jon Messenger // 2018 (referencing Excessively Long Work Hours and it’s negative impacts): wcms_649907.pdf (ilo.org)
- Attention & Focus – Amishi Jha’s work and recent book: Peak Mind. You can also check out her TEDx talk here: Amishi Jha: How to tame your wandering mind | TED Talk
