Some of you reading this will be raising your eyebrows. “Why does she need to put ‘rest’ into this post for happiness?” you ask. “Isn’t it, like, obvious? Doesn’t everyone know that rest makes you happy?”

Some of you will be raising your eyebrows for a different reason. “Why is she putting ‘rest’ into this post for happiness?” you ask. “Why is rest so important? Anyway, it’s really hard.”

If you’re the sort of person who finds it easy to relax and do nothing, you’ve got the day off thinking today. Go, lie on the grass in the sun and breathe deeply. You know how to do it. It’s fun.

For the others, I need to spell it out. Rest is important. If you work all the time, you won’t be happy. Your body and your brain and your emotions need to rest. It recharges the batteries. It improves creativity. It stops you getting sick.

I certainly have to take my own advice when it comes to rest. When I was 15 and at boarding school, my housemother had to tell me not to study so much. (I know, right?) These days, I would be quite happy working from the time I get up (that’s 6am, folks) to the time I go to bed. Unfortunately, I find that after about six weeks of this, my body says, ‘Enough, you stupid person!’ and sends me to bed for two whole days. I never seem to learn that I should have just rested and relaxed a little each day. It would have been easier in the long run.

Our bodies aren’t designed to go and go and go. We need down time. It makes us happier.

What things do you like to do to rest, relax and recharge?

How often do you get to do them?

Are you a work more, rest less, or a work less, rest more kind of person?

What is your ideal rest time?

When you rest are you on your phone? If so, get off it! You are only stimulating your brain more when you are on your phone not resting it.

Action: Think about what you’ve got coming up this week. Schedule in some rest (preferably after your assignments have been done, otherwise your parents are going to never let you read this journal again). Make an appointment with yourself to relax and recharge. 

Want more on how to be happy? Check out the rest of Cecily Paterson's How To Be Happy blog series for more tips and advice.

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