In a culture where hustling is commended, working long hours is a brag, and exhaustion is a competition, it can be hard not to feel burned out. Burnout is a state of mental, physical, and/or emotional exhaustion. It is caused by constant and intense stress, and can creep up without you realizing until it is too late. Burnout can be caused by work, lifestyle habits, and some personality traits make some people at higher risk of developing burnout. Work related causes include feeling a lack of control or recognition, doing monotonous work, and working in high pressure environments. Lifestyle causes include overworking, lacking a support system, and not getting enough sleep. Personality traits that contribute to burnout include perfectionism, being controlling, and having a pessimistic view of the world.

Burnout can make it difficult to concentrate. It results in chronic exhaustion, and in extreme cases, can make you physically ill. Signs of burnout include constant fatigue, lowered immune system, feeling detached or in despair, and procrastination. Preventing and healing from burnout requires rest. How much rest is determined by a multitude of factors such as individual needs and how bad the burnout has become. Healing from burnout will take longer amounts of rest for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize the different types of rest so they become stuck in a cycle of exhaustion. There are seven types of rest and it is crucial that you get all the different types of rest. The combination amount is based on your personality and personal needs.

7 types of rest

1. Physical

Physical rest is the one most people try to do and often the only thing they increase to try and feel well. It is all about giving your body a break. It can be broken down into two categories: passive and active. Passive physical rest is the most commonly known, including sleeping and taking naps. Active physical rest includes stretching, getting a nice massage, using ergonomic chairs and shoes, etc.

2. Mental

Mental rest is about allowing your brain to take a breather. People who feel overwhelmed and have racing thoughts require this the most. Some of the things you can do to relax your brain is by writing your thoughts into a journal, writing a to-do list or reference checklist, or jot down sporadic ideas. You can also step away from the desk to take a break from problem solving or creating a shutdown ritual for the end of your work day or before going to sleep.

3. Social

Social rest starts to look differently depending on whether you are an introvert or extrovert. Introverts gain energy from being alone and extroverts gain energy from being around others. This is why introverts need to block out time for themselves to be alone and undisturbed. Extroverts can feel exhausted based on the type of people they surround themselves with. They need to spend time with those who give them energy, which generally means people who are authentic and genuinely caring.

4. Spiritual

Spiritual rest can be religious but it does not have to be. This is more about connecting with something greater than yourself. If you are religious, attending faith based activities can be beneficial. However, everyone can join in on community activities. This includes volunteering, doing purpose driven projects, and helping neighbours in your community. Most of the time, you can make this overlap with social rest.

5. Sensory

The need for sensory rest differs the most from person to person. However, with the constant stimulation from phone calls, emails, and notifications, there is a growing need. Some ways to get sensory rest include turning off devices for a set period of time or turning off notifications. You can take social media breaks or limit video meetings. In person meetings might seem more inconvenient but depending on how you plan it, you can overlap multiple types of rest. For instance, you can do yoga with a friend while talking about how to benefit your community.

6. Emotional

Emotional rest is not only about releasing emotional labour, but also being true to yourself. Sometimes we lie to ourselves about who we are, what our needs are, or we have to put on a fake persona for others. This creates stress in the body that needs to be expelled by spending time with people you can be authentic with. Talking to a therapist or venting to a friend can also be beneficial.

7. Creative

Creative rest requires you to bask in art and beauty. People particularly need this type when feeling uninspired or stuck. This can be nature based or human created. Nature based creative rest includes watching the sun rise, walk through some trails, and taking a hike up mountains. Human based creative rest includes going to a museum or gallery, listening to music, and reading books.

Which type of rest do I need?

It can be difficult to understand what kind of rest is required to heal your mind and body. If you lack physical rest, you are more likely to feel aches and pains. This may manifest itself through swelling of the body or muscle spasms. Lack of mental rest results in poor concentration and memory. For some people it affects long term memory and for others it affects short term memory. Not enough social rest may make you resent the people around you. You may feel your relationships are one directional, where you give your all into relationships but the other person does not reciprocate. Without spiritual rest, you will start to feel as if your life or work has no meaning. This is what begins to demotivate you. A lack of sensory rest can make you feel overwhelmed and agitated. If you need emotional rest, you may feel tired of faking your emotions. This is especially common for those working in retail. If you need creative rest, you are probably struggling to be innovative and have a hard time problem solving or brainstorming.