Rest ≠ rejuvenation

Sundays are rest, and talking about rest. It’s so important to know when to rest when you work for yourself.

I’ve always thought rest is just unplugging, but recently learned there’s 2 types:

• rest - unplugging, stop draining the battery, passive rest
• rejuvenation - charging the battery, gives energy, active rest

Rest is when we have a digital detox, putting your phone to airplane mode, leaving it at home, and not going online for a week. Rest is not working and not thinking about work. Rest is staying home and chillaxing, or taking a restful long nap. Rest is waking up after 10h of great sleep, all sleep debt repaid. I imagine reading a book, writing a journal, cooking a meal, having a nice, slow, mindful lunch. Rest is Sundays. Rest is passive. Rest stems the energy outflow, so that there’s not more output than input.

Rejuvenation is different from rest. Rejuvenation is active. It’s like investing money – give energy to gain energy. Rejuvenation is a walk in the woods, a swim in the sea. Rejuvenation is going for a comfortable run and feeling more alive and alert after. Rejuvenation is doing art, working with your hands, working on a weekend project. It’s being totally embodied in an activity that captures not just your attention but your soul. Rejuvenation expends some energy but tops it back up with more.

And we need both. Rejuvenation is not better than rest, nor is rest.

I tend to like doing rest first, to recover and slow down a bit, especially after an intense tiring project or season. Then as I start to get bored or restless and feel my energy levels returning, I get into rejuvenation to top me back up and beyond. And that brings about the next season of intense building again, which then empties me out. Rinse and repeat again.

So in code speak:

Rest !== rejuvenation
Rest && rejuvenation