The Right to Rest

We live in a world where hustling through life is seen as a badge of honour. We’ve all done it at some point in our lives or we are currently at that point in our lives where our conversations with others hover around statements like, “I’m so busy. There’s so much to do,” or “I don’t have the time,” or “I’m booked and busy” or my favourite “No rest for the wicked.”

When did it become a flex to be so busy that there was no time to rest or relax? Some people say it with such pride as if they won an award. I get it, there are people in this world who have no choice but to be busy all the time just so they can survive. I’m sure all of them would love to have a day off to just sleep or get a massage or pamper themselves or all of that. They know that should the infernal wheel stop, so too would be the means to pay bills, put food on the table and clothes on their backs, take care of their children and just have enough to see them through to the end of the week. I’m not knocking the hustle – but it’s not something to boast about. As a species, it’s not something that we should wear as a crown.

I like being busy. I love having a purpose—work that feels fulfilling and meaningful. But I also cherish my “me” time. Over the years, though, I somehow convinced myself that if I wasn’t constantly doing something useful—writing, creating, building, cleaning, cooking, shopping, researching—I was wasting my life.

I used to feel guilty for spending a Sunday simply enjoying a morning coffee, catching up on reading, or wrapping myself up like a burrito in my blankets and listening to music while the rain or snow fell outside. On Mondays, I’d overcompensate, as if I had done something wrong by letting myself rest.

Since I’ve been back, I’ve learned to slow down a bit more. Enjoy that afternoon nap on the weekends and some pampering on evenings. There are days when I’d go out on a food run with my sisters and just sit down to enjoy a gelato after spending a tiny fortune on stationery to satisfy my fetish for pens and notebooks (and no, I can’t explain either – it is what it is).

On Saturday, we did another food run. This time it was to Maracas Bay for fish and chips. The food run turned into three hours of R&R, enough time to get over the motion sickness from the drive along the winding roads up the mountain to get down to the beach.

We got to Maracas around 9:30 AM, just in time to snag a nice shady spot under the trees and set up some lounge chairs for optimum R&R purposes. It was a nice way to spend some time away from the house and just be in the presence of untamed nature. We did not go into the water since that was not the intention in the first place. Besides, the waves were far too big and were better enjoyed from a safe distance.

My point after all of this is, it’s ok to rest a bit. Our bodies and minds need it. It’s easy to feel guilty for taking some time off especially in a world where we are conditioned to believe that the busier we are, the more valuable we are. It’s the greatest con ever.

So, for all the workhorses who find fulfillment in having lots to do, remember that there is also great fulfillment in resting and taking care of yourselves.

We all have the right to rest. Never forget that.