Big bowls of mangos, bananas, and avocados covered our kitchen island, and our freezer was overflowing with jars of Bengali lentils, vegetable curries, and other food I’d made ahead of visits from some of my in-laws, who have special diets that make eating food from outside almost impossible.

I’d been to the grocery store and Costco at least 1,287 times in the last few weeks, and I still missed some things.

Two days before their arrival, when my handsome hubs asked me what we were planning to eat THAT night, my face went blank.

I’d spent so much time preparing for their visit, that I’d forgotten to make sure we had something to eat before their arrival.

At that point, I had to take a few breaths and remember to walk my talk.

If you don’t fill your own tank (literally), you won’t have any energy left to do what you need to do for others and yourself, or worse, you could end up sick, unable to help anyone.

The Expense of Busy-ness

That visit from my in-laws was just one of several fun activities we had planned over the summer—from hosting family and friends, to traveling to rejuvenating places, and attending fun outdoor events, our calendar was jam-packed.

BUT…

…when you have too many things in your calendar, even much needed self-care activities can lose some of their positive impact and start to feel like tasks or something to “get through” before you can rest.

Being too busy is not something to brag about. Without the proper rest it can lead to the stress and anxiety that contributes to today’s major maladies: heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

According to a February 2022 WebMD article, having stressful thoughts can weaken your immune system in just half an hour. [1]

The stress that comes from being too busy can hamper your ability to get enough sleep, prepare healthy meals, and spend enough time in nature, all factors that affect your immune system as well.

We all have different tolerances for busy-ness, and it can change over time.

As my example above demonstrates, my ability to avoid taking on too much is still a work in progress, and I know I’m not alone.

Walking the Wellness Talk

In the wellness industry, we often extol the virtues of nourishment and balance, yet sometimes forget to apply these principles to ourselves.

We spend all day reminding others to practice, eat well, get enough sleep, stress less, take their meds, and exercise, yet we ourselves get caught up in the momentum of busy schedules in service to others and unrealistic expectations of what we should be able to accomplish.

One of my favorite metaphors about this topic comes from many years ago when I was teaching Stephen Covey’s course, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, to U.S. government employees. In one of the videos, Covey poses the question, “Have you ever been too busy driving to stop and get gas?”

I’ll be the first to raise my hand and confess that I can answer “yes” to this question literally and figuratively.

Covey calls the solution “Sharpening the Saw.” Other’s call it the Oxygen Mask Rule. I call it self-care.

Not necessarily the fluffy bubble bath, hot stone massage, treat-yourself-to-ice-cream kind of self-care. Though there’s nothing wrong with those things at all, self-care gets a bad rap because it can sound like avoidance and pampering, as opposed to actions to preserve your life force and your ability to fulfill your purpose.

Actions like:

Eating well for YOUR body.

Prioritizing movement that nourishes and heals you.

Meditating more.

Clearing your mind with writing.

Calling a dear friend.

Pausing to enjoy a date night.

Scheduling time for yourself to recharge if you’re an introvert.

Spending time in nature.

And most importantly, rest.

Rest as Productivity

No matter what our over-caffeinated society tells us about pushing through the fatigue and being there for everyone and everything, sometimes you just need to give yourself a break in order to be more productive.

Not only is it ok to rest, it’s absolutely necessary to your health, your productivity, and the continued fulfillment of your purpose.

I’ve been at this self-care thing long enough to see when I need to make adjustments so that I can show up as my best self for you and for my loved ones. For me that means scaling way back and resting as much as I can in the moments between the action.

Sometimes the hand of the Divine takes care of it for me. One set of visitors had to cancel their trip because of their own circumstances.

At other times, the situation requires making some tough decisions, reprioritizing, and letting some things go.

Rest does not equal being lazy any more than stopping to get gas does. It’s simply another way to fill your tank.

It’s something you have to remember to do so that the vehicle—whether it’s your car or your body and mind—can keep going.

For some reason, it’s easy to forget when you feel so many demands on your time and energy or see so many things you want to do.

So, in case you need permission or a reminder, here it is.

It’s ok to rest. It’s ok NOT to do everything everyone wants you to do. It’s ok to do what you need to do to take care of yourself.

Your clients, patients, colleagues, loved ones, and the world need a well-rested, focused, and inspired you.

You deserve it. You’re worth it.

Want help reclaiming your time, focus, wellness and productivity? Grab my quick-start guide, “4 Simple Secrets to Making Meditation Possible.”

This information is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. I am not providing medical, psychological, or nutrition therapy advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation.

[1] https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ss/slideshow-how-you-suppress-immune-system