How To Make Time For Rest and Schedule Relaxation As Christians

In today’s busy world, finding time to rest can feel like a challenge, especially when we have never-ending to-do lists, household chores, and constant distractions like social media.

I’ve been there feeling like there’s never enough time to take a break. But as believers, we know that rest isn’t just a good thing, it’s a God-given gift. In fact, the Bible emphasizes the importance of make time for rest, from God resting on the seventh day of creation to Jesus calling His followers to make time for rest in Him:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

For me, understanding the biblical principle of rest has been the key to finding peace in the midst of busyness. It’s not just about taking a break from work, but about creating space to hear God’s voice, experience true peace, and let go of the pressure to do it all.

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How To Make Time For Rest and Relaxation

Make time for rest isn’t just beneficial for your mental and physical health it’s an act of obedience and trust in God’s provision.

Let’s explore how you can make time for rest and schedule relaxation in a way that aligns with God’s design for your life.

1. Why Rest and Relaxation Are Essential for Your Well-Being

A lot of people think of rest as a waste of time, but the truth is, that adequate rest is a high-performance choice. It helps improve your sleep quality, mental health, and physical health, making you more productive and energized.

Understanding the importance of rest can be the first step in committing to making space for it. Without enough rest, your body and nervous system stay in overdrive, leaving you exhausted, stressed, and unmotivated.

Rest isn’t just about sleep; it’s about taking intentional periods of rest throughout the day, allowing your mind and body to relax. Whether it’s a lunch break, a hot bath, or a quiet moment to take deep breaths, all of these practices contribute to your well-being and help you recover from the demands of modern life.

2. Identify the Different Types of Rest

Understanding the types of rest you need is crucial for scheduling your relaxation time effectively. Here are some common types:

• Mental Rest: Take short breaks throughout your work day, especially if you’re spending too much time in front of screens. The Pomodoro method (work in short bursts followed by a break) is a great way to include mental rest in your schedule.

• Emotional Rest: This involves stepping away from emotionally taxing situations or relationships, and taking time for yourself to process emotions. Spending time on a hobby or reading a good book can help.

• Physical Rest: Make time for naps, gentle stretches, or even a relaxing nighttime routine to improve your sleep quality. Physical rest helps you work less and recover from the physical demands of day-to-day activities.

• Spiritual or Social Rest: Dedicate personal time to connect with something greater than yourself, whether through meditation, prayer, or spending time in nature.

3. Simple Steps to Schedule Rest in Your Daily Life

Scheduling relaxation doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With these simple steps, you can make rest a priority in your daily schedule without much effort:

• Set Clear Boundaries: Protect your rest time by saying no to extra work hours, unnecessary social media browsing, or overloading your to-do list with household chores. This is crucial for creating real rest.

• Block Rest Periods: Schedule specific periods of rest in your calendar, like you would a meeting. This could be as simple as setting aside time for a 10-minute walk during your work day or creating a sabbath day for a full day of rest each week.

• Incorporate Rest Into Your Routine: Make rest a non-negotiable part of your day. Whether it’s taking a 5-minute breather after lunch or relaxing in a hot bath before bed, regular short breaks contribute to overall relaxation.

4. Effective Ways to Maximize Relaxation Time

Maximizing your relaxation doesn’t require extra hours just smart choices. Use these tips to make the most of your free time:

• Reduce Screen Time: Social media and screen use often steal your relaxation time. Instead, spend this time engaging in restorative activities like reading or taking deep breaths.

• Create a Relaxation Space: Whether it’s your home office or a cozy corner in your house, having a designated area for rest can help you transition into rest mode.

• Take Advantage of Moments of Calm: Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, author of Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, advocates for short, frequent periods of relaxation. Even 5 minutes spent sipping tea or focusing on the present moment can help you reset.

5. How to Balance Rest and Your To-Do List

Balancing rest with a busy to-do list can feel overwhelming, but it’s crucial for both productivity and well-being. The key is to be intentional about your time and prioritize rest without feeling like you’re neglecting important tasks.

By carving out space for relaxation while managing responsibilities, you create a healthier balance.

• Prioritize the Most Important Tasks: Start by identifying tasks that directly impact your best work and long-term goals. Focus on what truly matters and avoid getting caught up in minor tasks that can be delayed.
  
  This helps you make better use of your time and allows space for relaxation without guilt.

• Schedule Breaks: Use tools like the Pomodoro method, which alternates periods of focused work with short breaks.
  
  This method not only helps you stay on task but also ensures regular relaxation intervals, boosting both focus and productivity. For instance, after 25 minutes of concentrated work, take a 5-minute break to stretch, meditate, or grab a drink.

• Delegate or Delay Tasks: Household chores or smaller day-to-day activities can eat up too much time and leave you feeling drained. Delegate these tasks to family members, or simply postpone them for another time when you’re less tired.
  
  By freeing up some of these tasks, you make more room for personal time and relaxation, ensuring that you’re not sacrificing rest for less important duties.

• Set Boundaries for Rest: Protect your relaxation time as firmly as you protect work or appointments.
  
  Clear boundaries help you balance your to-do list and prevent burnout. Let others know when you’re unavailable and make this time non-negotiable.

By applying these strategies, you’ll find that it’s easier to fit rest into your day while still handling important responsibilities. When you give yourself the time to rest, you’re able to return to your tasks with more focus, energy, and effectiveness, leading to better results in both your work and personal life.

6. The Long-Term Benefits of Making Time for Rest

At the end of the day, the benefits of scheduling regular relaxation go beyond just a few minutes of calm or temporary relief from stress. Consistently making time for rest has profound, long-term effects on every aspect of your well-being.

For starters, it significantly improves your mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and emotional fatigue.

When you give your brain the chance to recharge, you can approach problems with a fresh perspective, which boosts creativity and enhances problem-solving skills. 

Rest also leads to improved productivity. It’s easy to think that working longer hours is the key to getting more done, but studies consistently show that good rest actually leads to better results during work hours. Taking breaks and having periods of rest improves your focus, allowing you to produce higher-quality work in less time.

This kind of balanced approach can increase both your efficiency and job satisfaction, giving you a greater sense of accomplishment.

One of the most obvious benefits of making time for rest is the improvement in your sleep quality. When you prioritize rest during the day whether it’s through short breaks, mental rest, or even just taking a few deep breaths you set the stage for more restful sleep at night.

Adequate rest helps regulate your nervous system, which allows you to fall asleep more easily and stay asleep longer. As a result, you wake up feeling more refreshed and ready to take on the day ahead with renewed energy.

Moreover, rest isn’t just beneficial for your work life it also positively impacts your personal relationships. When you’re not running on empty, you have more emotional energy to invest in the people around you, leading to stronger connections and more meaningful interactions.

Embracing regular rest also helps you find greater balance between your personal and professional life, making it easier to maintain healthy boundaries and avoid burnout.

In the long term, consistently scheduling rest helps you cultivate a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. It teaches you how to manage stress, improve your overall well-being, and live in alignment with your values.

By making rest a priority, you ensure that you’re taking care of your mental and physical health and creating space for joy, creativity, and spiritual growth.

Read more: 21 Benefits Of Forgiveness With Bible Verses To Guide You

Incorporating rest into your routine allows you to approach each day with clarity, enthusiasm, and resilience.

Whether you’re tackling a new project or simply spending time with loved ones, you’ll find that periods of rest give you the energy and focus to fully engage with whatever comes your way. So, make time for rest it’s one of the best investments you can make for a healthier, more balanced life.

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Final Thoughts: The Whole Point of Scheduling Rest

In a world where modern life puts a lot of pressure on us to always be doing something, taking time to rest and relax is not a luxury but a necessity. Rest is not only essential for our physical health, but it also allows us to refresh emotionally and spiritually.

When we prioritize rest, we honor the way God designed us, recognizing that we are not meant to live in constant overdrive. The key to adequate rest lies in understanding your needs, setting clear boundaries, and integrating rest into your daily life in simple steps.

Scheduling time for rest allows you to be more intentional about how you spend your energy, ensuring that you are functioning at your best. Whether it’s a few moments of stillness and deep breaths after a hard day or dedicating a full day to a sabbath rest, making room for relaxation ensures that you’re taking care of your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Without rest, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, feel overwhelmed, and burn out under the constant pressures of day-to-day activities.

Rest isn’t just about stopping it’s about restoration. When we allow ourselves to rest, we give our nervous system a break, regain perspective, and approach our responsibilities with a renewed mindset. It’s through adequate rest that we can perform our best work, foster healthier relationships, and make wise decisions.

By learning to rest well, you’re not just recharging for the next day but building a sustainable lifestyle that balances both work and personal time.

Ultimately, by incorporating these helpful tips into your life, you’ll create a good rest routine that refreshes you physically, restores you mentally, and nourishes you emotionally. Resting allows you to return to your tasks with more focus, clarity, and creativity, so you can fully live out your purpose.

Make relaxation and rest a part of your daily schedule and watch how it transforms your overall well-being and productivity. Rest is not an indulgence; it’s a crucial part of living a balanced and fulfilling life.

xoxo