Rest has never been a negative concept, especially when it comes to top performers who have earned a break. For athletes training at the highest intensity, giving their all requires recovery before the next challenge. The mantra was clear: “Training should be harder than the game.” In fact, the game was meant to be the easiest part of the week. For some players, though, rest was the hardest part—they were addicted to work, and this obsession sometimes got in the way.
Take, for example, a Counties Rugby Representative Team player. Super fit, he would always go for a 5 km run on the morning of a game. My advice against this fell on deaf ears. While enforcing the best advice was an option, allowing players to choose was a greater philosophy. So, he continued his pre-game runs. Years later, that same player became a senior First Responder. Now, he acknowledges the importance of not overdoing things when he might be called into action. The lives of his colleagues and those he serves are too important to risk by being overworked. He even apologized for his youthful over-enthusiasm. Interestingly, despite his talent and dedication, he never made it to the New Zealand level. There was always something missing on game day that held him back from being selected over others.
As Judges representing New Zealand, taking a break benefits not just clients and colleagues but also family, friends, and, most importantly, the person in the mirror. But who prescribes rest? Ideally, we do, though there’s a caveat: a conflict of interest often hampers sound judgment. A concerned colleague, or even a critic, can be the best guide when it comes to knowing when and how to rest.
One of the best lectures I attended in a postgraduate setting was from a professor at Auckland University’s School of Business. His key lesson: “Your worst critic is your best friend. Someone who critiques you shows care, concern, and even love by giving you attention. The person who dismisses you doesn’t care enough to even be interested.”
None of us enjoy being told there might be something wrong with our lifestyle. If the delivery isn’t to our liking, we tend to reject the message as well. But hearing that we need rest—especially when we’re solving the world’s problems while pushing our own limits—can be hard. If you don’t want others to interfere with your plans, make one that includes rest, starting now. If you’re burning out, chances are you don’t have a plan; you’re just spiraling like a Whirling Dervish. If you reprimand a hoon in court for doing a burnout, you’d likely give them time out and advise them to plan their life better. Are you seeing the parallel? What’s good for your client should at least be minimally acceptable for you too.
Rest and recreation allow the mind and body to recover from the energy we expend. Remember, becoming a Judge wasn’t without considerable effort and even personal sacrifice.
In both sports and law, the challenge isn’t getting people to work hard; it’s getting them to ease up. The first lesson when you’re advised to rest is: don’t feel guilty about it! The verb for “rest” is “refresh.” Why wouldn’t a sensible person want to refresh after intense activity or before a new endeavor?
There are numerous ways to rest, though no empirical prescriptions. Here are five body functions that need refreshment:
Physical:
Give your body a break. Lie down, change routines, and let your soft tissues recover.Mental:
Let your mind rest. Daydream, or engage in an activity that requires minimal mental effort.Emotional:
Create emotional space. Talk about emotional matters with loved ones and colleagues, solve the world’s problems, but don’t feel obligated to fix everything.Spiritual:
Pray, meditate, or write your deepest thoughts—whether anyone reads them or not. These practices can rest your soul.Sensory:
Clear your environment of electrical clutter, or remove yourself from it. There’s a complex debate about how different electrical wavelengths affect us (perhaps a topic for another article), but turning off electronics is generally good for our senses. Walking or camping in the wilderness often proves this point better than words can describe.
Rest Prescription
There’s no one-size-fits-all rest prescription because it depends on how depleted you are in different areas. However, universally, we all need refreshment. Rest isn’t a luxury; it’s essential for maintaining normal health.
For intellectual work, a good rule of thumb is to take a 5-minute break for every 20 minutes of work. It’s even better to work in blocks: 50 minutes of focus followed by 15 minutes of recovery. If you work longer than 50 minutes without a break, spend those saved-up 15-minute increments before you hit burnout.
While preventing illness should be a motivator for change, few people attend prevention lectures. On the other hand, those who are highly motivated will always listen to advice on how to improve performance. Consider rest as a way to enhance your performance, productivity, precision, and even your personality.
In law, where there’s damage to a victim, there should be restitution. In medicine, when there’s damage to you as a victim, there should be rest.