In the WorkWell Podcast by Deloitte, Jen Fisher — Human Sustainability Leader at Deloitte and Editor-at-Large, Human Sustainability at Thrive Global — sits down with inspiring individuals for wide-ranging conversations about how we can develop a way of living and working built on human sustainability, starting with ourselves.
This week, Ximena Vengoechea, user researcher, consultant, and author of Rest Easy: Discover Calm and Abundance through the Radical Power of Rest, explains how getting deep rest can improve the quality of our work and our relationships, as well as leading to more joy, ease, and fulfillment in every aspect of our lives.
On what it means to be deeply rested:
“Think of rest as any activity that is going to leave you either calm or energized relative to where you were before. It’s either going to help you to slow down and feel that sense of inner quiet, inner peace, and ease, or it’s going to give you a boost, bring you joy, and help you tackle whatever it is you want to tackle. I think of rest as both sides of that coin.”
On why many people don’t get enough rest:
“A lot of us have this idea that we are our output; we think sitting still is bad. There’s a thing called ‘idleness aversion,’ when you can’t sit still or relax. There’s a myth that taking time to rest means that you’re lazy. That often leads to an unwillingness to rest even when your body needs it. You think ‘I haven’t done enough work to deserve a break.’ And that can really get in the way of having a deeply rooted intuitive connection to rest.”
On pausing for brief breaks throughout the day:
“Look for little moments of rest that you can squeeze into your day, and create a bit of breathing space. Let’s say you’re at the grocery store waiting in line, and it’s crowded and stressful and you’re answering work emails. What would happen if instead you took those extra five minutes and just stopped to breathe? Many of us are attached to our devices, and another small way to rest is to disconnect in what I call ‘transition time.’ For example, leave your phone on your desk if you get up to get a snack, instead of impulsive grabbing it and taking it from room to room.”
To hear more from Jen and Ximena, listen to this full episode of WorkWell here, available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit the WorkWell library for the full collection of episodes.