We all know about sleeping 8 hours. Some of us are lucky to get even that. Sleeping and napping are types of passive rest, but there is also active rest. This includes yoga, stretching, having a massage or even taking a warm bath. It's important that we include active and passive rest in our daily routine.

Ever had a good night's rest only to still feel exhausted? You are probably in need of mental rest. Mental rest is taking short breaks every two hours during the workday. You can use these breaks to encourage yourself to slow down. Writing down to do lists will help empty your mind on a physical document you can look at later. Also, keeping a notepad near the bed to write down any thoughts keeping you up will also serve the same purpose. More extreme forms of mental rest could be quitting your job and finding one with less pressure and stress. It could also be cashing in those vacation days and taking that trip you always said you were going to get around to.

Bright lights, computer screens, background noise and multiple conversations — whether they’re in the workplace, at home, or on Zoom calls — can cause our senses to feel overwhelmed. This can be countered by doing something as simple as closing your eyes for a minute in the middle of the day, as well as by intentionally powering off electronics at the end of every day. Intentional moments of sensory deprivation can begin to undo the damage caused by the over-stimulating world.

This form of rest is especially important for those of us who have to constantly create, problem solve, and brainstorm. Creative rest involves being out in nature and bathing in it for at least a couple hours each week. If you are having trouble making time to get out to a park or forest near you, even looking a photos of nature can be helpful. Find pictures that inspire you and open up your mind and place them in your office. Art can be another wonderful inspirational tool. Include these in your workplace environment as well for creative rest therapy. Netflix and Youtube are great resources for watching nature in motion. Simply type in “nature” and select any nature documentary or video to take a moment and let your soul take in some fresh scenery.

For all of our friends who don't know how to say “no” or set healthy boundaries in relationships or at work, you are probably in desperate need of emotional rest. Emotional rest is found with a small inner circle of people with whom you can be authentic and share how you really feel. When these close friends, family members, or maybe your therapist asks how you are feeling, you feel comfortable sharing the hard things of life. Find at least one person that you can open up to in this way. If you don't have anyone, we will listen to you. Just click the button in the headline to be connected to someone. We are offering this service for free right now.

Resting socially is found in having the ability to differentiate between relationships that drain you from those that revive you. Even if it has to be over Zoom, try to see the positive people in your life face to face. It will do wonders for your social health and give you an energizing peace. Knowing you have people in your life who will always lift you up makes even the hardest of times that much easier to get through. That being said, do your best to minimize the time you spend with people that drain you. Sometimes it may be your family, which is a tough presence to avoid. When you pick up the phone, say things like “I have 15 minutes before my next appointment” to help introduce boundaries. Slowly but surely, you will find creative ways to still support these friendships but limit their ability to exhaust you.

Very simply put, start involving yourself in anything greater than yourself. This may be church or worship services, volunteering at a shelter or hospital, or doing a mission trip. On a smaller, but just as refreshing scale, is prayer and meditation. Reserve time in your schedule daily for spiritual rest. We find that doing this first thing in the morning is the most effective, since you have more energy. In the middle of the day during your lunch break is also a great window to pour spiritual rest into your life. Whenever you do it, you''ll be glad you made it a priority.