Resting For Better Productivity: 5 Reasons Why It’s Important and Biblical

Despite feeling completely counterintuitive, resting can actually be beneficial to your productivity. I know as often overworked and overwhelmed entrepreneurs, this seems impossible. But in this post we are going to cover 5 reasons why it’s an important element to your productivity as well as what Scripture has to say about rest.

Proper rest is beneficial not only for your productivity, but also for your mental and physical well-being. God rested first, and even Jesus modeled it for us. (Genesis 2:2-3, Luke 5:16)

Prioritizing rest is not only for the sake of your work, but also for the good of your spiritual growth and relationship with the One who created you.

#prioritizedfocus

Raise your hand if you’re someone who feels guilty taking breaks or resting during your workday. 🙋‍♀️ Well, you’re not alone! And for most of us, even if we force the body to take a rest, the mind is far from it! So what’s a goal-getter like you to do? How do you utilize resting for being productive beyond busy activity?

#1 Mental Clarity

Resting allows you to clear your mind. The ability to clear your mind gives your brain an opportunity to rest and recharge. Achieve this and you’re able to focus better. Mental clarity allows you to be more productive when it’s time to get back to work! Did you catch that part? “When it’s time to get back to work,” this means you have to take a break from it in order to get back to it.

#2 Reduces Stress

Stress becomes manageable when you rest. Allow yourself the time needed to clear the mental clutter, then this next step may feel more feasible and doable. Reducing stress will definitely help you in your productivity efforts. Stress can wreak so much havoc on your mind and body. Can you take a guess what helps reduce stress? You guessed it, resting!

#3 Helps Avoid Burnout

Rest gives you the ability to find your exhaustion exit. Avoiding rest, especially when you know that your mind and body needs it leads to burnout. When you’re able to keep yourself from becoming emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted, you’re already going to me more productive. Don’t ya think?

#4 Perspective Shifts

The opportunity to shift and look at things differently by resting could be a game changer. Needing a perspective shift is usually just the “thing” you know you’re missing. For most of us, that perspective shift comes from something outside of ourselves. Getting out of your own head, get out of your “usual” environment, and hearing someone else’s experience, helps. Whether you realize it or not, a perspective shift is giving yourself permission to rest from “the problem.” See “the problem” differently, and you’ll be better equipped to come up with a creative solution for it!

#5 Creativity & Innovation

Staying stuck is always optional, how you take the time to rest and relax can be the easiest solution to “the problem.” Ever wonder where NEW ideas come from? Usually the least place that you expect, and often from a place of rest and wondering. Creativity and innovation come from allowing your mind to wander, imagine and dream. Relaxed by the sea with toes in the sand staring out into the see are where my husband and I, hatch our biggest ideas and next projects.

These are awesome results of rest, there’s more to be said about resting.

While these findings and their reasons for rest are both important and beneficial, it’s essential for you to understand that you were DESIGNED to rest. That’s right, rest is meant to be a regular part of your routine.

References for rest from the Bible.

Genesis 2:2-3 The very first example of what it meant and looked like to rest after creating, innovating, and working was God himself! The world and life itself was created in six days and on the seventh day GOD RESTED.

Exodus 20:8-11 Resting is one of the ten commandments. Just in case we didn’t catch God’s example at creation, there was another reminder literally “handed down” from heaven!

Psalm 46:10 Reminds us that we’ve got to BE STILL so that we can know (and recognize) God. How can we build a relationship if we’re always going, listening to others, and being busy?

Psalm 127:2 Tell me, how restful are you when you work, work, work, & worry? Exactly! Trust God will take care of the provisions as long as you keep in the right position – eyes, ears, and heart on HIM!

Mark 6:31 Jesus recognizes when we are in need of rest and encourages us to take it. And if it get’s too much for us to handle, it’s because we weren’t meant to carry such a heavy load. He’s got a plan for that too 👉 Matthew 11:28

Is rest a regular part of your routine? I know what you’re thinking, define regular, right? I get it, I do. What’s relaxing and refueling for one, could be down right distracting, disruptive, and the opposite for some one else. That’s just a testament to the creativity and specificity of our Designer.

We’re all uniquely different! I like to call us His Beautiful MESSterpieces, but you’ll hear more about that in the weeks to come 😉 (I just dropped a big spoiler there about my soon to be published first book 😱)

Practical Tips for Resting Well

• Plan regular breaks throughout your day. Set a timer to get up from your desk and go for a quick walk, grab a glass of water, at least look out a window and take in the view BEYOND you.
• Find activities that actually help you relax. Sitting in your favorite comfy chair listening to an audio book. Coffee and conversation with a friend.
• Turn off the blue light! Shut down the devices for extended periods of time–on purpose. Especially at least an hour before bedtime.
• Have intentional Sabbath Day rest. Most automatically think of Saturday or Sunday for this and relate it to church, but any day works. As long as it is deliberate and for the purpose of resting. My day is typically Thursday and I try and not “do” the same thing. It may be extra hours reading, Bible study, visiting a friend, a long walk or drive. The theme is always the same, grateful and purposeful soul rest.

Commit to prioritizing rest into your routine and your agenda in the days and weeks ahead. Create this habit for yourself. Not only is this honoring God, but it also sets you up for better productivity, health, well-being, and a deeper sense of peace and trust in His promises and provision for us.

prioritizing rest into my routine right there with ya,

Using the Prioritized Focus 30-Day Planner helps 😉