Clever Ways to Make Rest a Priority

In my last post, I talked about being weary and not realizing it. I've been making rest a priority because resting also means that I am making myself my priority. So here are some ways you can do it too.

Making rest a priority is important. Scheduling restful moments and making sure you take time to rest and relax can help make resting easier. If it’s on the calendar, it’s more likely to happen. Putting rest on your to-do list reminds you of the importance of self-care and refreshing yourself.
 
It’s easy to think of rest as
 

• Sleeping in on a weekend
• Binge watching Hulu or Netflix
• Turning off your phone

 
But rest can be so much more! Rest is anything the restores your spirit and enthusiasm. Rest can be found in activities as well as being sedentary. Rest can include others or be solitary. All rest needs to in order to qualify as restful is a sense of joy and ease that restores your poured-out energies.
 
There are some clever ways to make rest a priority. Check these out.
 
Plan a spa day: Scheduling a spa day can be as easy as picking up the phone. Many spas offer packages that include multiple services for a reduced fee. The great thing about the spa is you can go alone or in a group. Either way, you can leave feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
 
Join a book club: Becoming a book club member is a great way to ensure you’ve got a new book to read. You can subscribe to an app for books or join a club with friends and choose your titles each month. Either way, you can look forward to some down time to read and escape, which will refresh your mind and help you unplug.
 
Schedule a monthly family day: Family time is precious. Kids grow so quickly and before you know it, the family schedule is packed with commitments and activities. Scheduling a monthly family day can help the whole family unplug, connect, and refresh. Disconnecting from the “real world” can help center and ground the whole family. Detoxing from social media, sharing a meal, and doing an activity together can refresh the mind, body, and spirit of each family member.
 
Don’t forget date night: Date night is a form of rest. Rest from responsibilities of parenting, rest for your relationship as you reconnect, and rest in general as you enjoy a great meal and a fun activity. Date night is more than getting away from the kids. It’s a restorative practice that makes relationships stronger. And whatever you do, don't negate your relationship with yourself, so take yourself out on a date night too!
 
Resting is much more than sleeping in. It is purposeful and meaningful activities that restore and renew. Get clever with your rest and make it a priority in your and your family’s lives.