WHEN ‘can’t rest, won’t rest’ STOPS WORKING

The language of ‘burnout’ or being ‘burned out’ first appeared in the 1970s as a way to describe the consequences of extreme stress in the workplace. It was coined by Herbert Freudenberger who owned both an excellent name and a lifetime of research on the subjects of stress and fatigue.

In today’s age, ‘burnout’ is about as common parlance in office conversations as ‘taking it offline’. This mainstream recognition of burnout’s presence and causes is positive; its rise in the workforce less so. Glassdoor, Mental Health UK and many others all point to a long-term increase in its impact on employees and a quick trip to any airport W.H.Smith will offer ample self-help guides. 

The tricky thing about burnout is that it is born from stress. And stress is essential to performance. It helps us reach flow state. It helps us conquer problems. It helps us be souped-up versions of ourselves. Too little of it and we get bored and demotivated. But too much of it for too long… we burn out.

In a world mindful of mindfulness, there are some brilliant ideas and tools out there targeted with getting a better balance in life: think yoga retreats, the power of REM, meditation. I have no issue with these. However, I think in the pursuit of bigger life changes, we’re missing a simple little trick that is easy to do: rest.

brilliance has a breaking point

Rest is an awkwardly floppy word in our industry of over-servicing and tracking hours. It’s become something we do after we’ve already hit the deck, when we’re older, when we’re on holiday, or, worse, when we’re hungover. 

Yet, when you look at other high performance industries, rest is anything but flimsy. Ask any boxer, athlete, footballer, rower or tiddly-wink champ and they’ll tell you that rest is a vital part of their training programme. Not because they’re too tired or have pushed themselves too hard, but because rest helps muscles grow, prevents injury, helps them sleep, and improves their immune system. Put simply, rest makes them perform better. 

Five years ago when I woke up from a deep sleep on the floor of my living-room suffering from burnout, I had a real penny-drop moment. I’d planned to go to the gym for a third consecutive day but felt sore and tight. I figured I’d just work through and read a few articles promising that I’d still be a beefcake within the week. Something also kept popping up: “Remember, you break the muscle fibres in the gym doing the workout, they repair and grow stronger when you rest and recover.”

I realised out of the gym it’s the same. 

more unwind, less grind

Rest reduces time spent in a stressed state. Rest helps your body manage workload. Rest helps you spend more time in a flow state. Rest improves your resilience. To be better, stronger, more useful and happier in my job I needed to think more seriously about the role of rest. 

Or, less diplomatically, if I didn’t find time to rest I’d become worse at my job. The road to burnout is plagued with diminishing performances.

5 ways to get into a resting routine

The next time you’re looking at your task list, workflow thingy, or energy quadrants, make sure rest is included and loud and proud. Here are a few of mine that have helped make rest a natural part of my diet:

1: REFRAME YOUR DIARY

Work out when things are compacting and likely to get stressful - days, weeks and months. When you’ve spotted them, try to protect time around them. Could be a little cup of tea between meetings, a less hectic weekend before a big week, or even a slower train home after a long day. 

A personal favourite is to take a 6-week view of weekends. If I’ve got packed weeks, I know I need to say ‘no’ to a few fun things to break it up a bit. This works for office time too - can you spot a free afternoon in the future where you can take your foot off the gas and have some headspace? If so, protect it. 

2: HAVE A ‘NOTHING DAY’

Try to spot or create a day every 6 weeks or so to simply do nothing. Yup. Nothing. Maybe a bit of light exercise at most. Or a scratch. 

I absolutely hate these days. I’m restless, grumpy and 15 years ago would’ve told you I’ve got plenty of time to do that when I’m old. Now I’m almost old and the effects are brilliant. It takes the pressure out of the balloon and keeps my energy levels high. 

3: BREAK THE WORK ROUTINE, EVERY DAY

Walk. Take a different bus. Listen to something new walking to the office. Do a crossword on the tube. Pop into a new shop. Try a different sandwich. Sit somewhere unusual. 

It’s a small thing, but I find it resets my head a lot. The new stimulus distracts my brain and gives it a little breather. A quick rest from the stress.

4: PRIORITISE SLEEP

It’s the most essential thing you’ll do all day. OK, after breathing. Your body can survive between 1 to 2 months without food. 72 hours without sleep and your ability to carry out simple tasks, pay attention and pass the day without hallucinations is profoundly limited. 

It’s taken me years to address being an awful sleeper but I now cherish it. There’s a lot to my new routine and I hold one thing especially dear - nothing good happens after midnight. Get yourself home to bed. 

5: KNOW YOUR ENERGY

Some people are larks, others night owls. I’m more of a seagull flitting in and out of the day. The crucial thing is to understand when you’re at your best and work around that. When do you find deep-thinking easier? What gets you through that admin pile? When do you want to walk the floors and chat? If you want me in the afternoon, you’d better bring a cuppa.

Rest has become my superpower for doing my job better, performing for longer, and for enjoying my work more. So do yourself a favour and take a break.