Discipline or Rest – Which is Best?

We could feel our bodies relax as we stepped under the canopy of the ancient forest, weaving our way past green ferns and carpets of moss. It was day 1 of a 2-day get away seeking the solitude of the mountains. I knew we had to hurry. Or did we? Hmm. Discipline or Rest – which is best?

A couple of trail runners hurried passed as they trained for an adventure race. Part of me wondered if we should ‘pick up the pace’ – after all, we only had 2 days.

My wife sensed my inner struggle; “relax, we’re on vacation, take a rest”. She was right. As I vowed to ‘relax’, I worried whether we’d be too late to get a good campsite.

In a life full of commitments, deadlines, and a discipline of ‘more is better’, it can be challenging to give ourselves permission to take a rest.

High alpine mountain pass with a soft bank of fog rolling in early morning Matt MacEachern – early morning alpine mist – BC wilderness

Early the next morning as we prepped for our hike, there was a part of me thinking, ‘we’ve got to get going if we’re going to summit’. Then I thought: ‘dude, relax, take a rest.’

This mental struggle continued – should I be disciplined, move fast, do what needs to be done, or chill out, take some photos, relax.

There’s no doubt that disciplined practice improves performance: whether managing new protocols, developing sales skills, or honing our fitness. In his book the ‘Power of Habit’, Charles Duhigg shows it’s the habits that lead to long term success for organizaitons like Starbucks. Malcolm Gladwells book Outliers reveals how the best athletes or musicians put in some 10,000 hours on the road to greatness. 

There’s just one thing. Everyone needs to rest.

Elite athletes train hard, refuel, then rest – that’s when the growth occurs. Trees grow in the summer then rest in the winter. The most successful organizations in the world encourage their employees to actually take their vacation – not bank them.

Here are 4 Things You can do to Revitalize your life

1/ Take a Rest – If you’re a leader, chances are you start your day before everyone else. You’ve got your own deliverable’s, you coach, solve problems, talk with clients. Then you rush home to take care of your family, do chores, work out, then late night emails. If you really want to serve others? You need to rest. Whether that’s taking your vacation, leaving work on time, or going for a walk in nature at lunch. Take a rest.

2/ Rest often – Are you saying slack off? No. Most people I know are so dedicated that they work too much – there’s no way they’re going to ‘accidentally’ turn lazy.

What good is your 2 week vacation if you’re so burnt out that when it’s finally time to take it – you’re sick? Let me answer that for you – it’s not good.

You’re better to take frequent or regular breaks. This could be formal days off where you actually unplug and trust all those folks you’ve developed to take the reigns.

But it can also mean:

• Scheduling a run or walk at lunch 2 to 3 times a week – yes – put it in Outlook!
• Planning to go out for brunch with the family on Sundays – put it in the calendar!
• Or how about asking someone else to cook one night a week? 😉

3/ Be present – Sometimes just being present – or mindful of where we are can be a break.

For example, on our hike, my wife was stopping to smell the roses – well, there were no actual roses, but stopping to admire a glimmering tarn or jaw dropping view, or to take a playful photo, rather than ‘rushing’ to the summit.

What’s that look like in a more urban setting? Walking the dog without talking on the cell phone, going for a run without earbuds and listening to the sounds, or sitting in the back yard and noticing your own, natural, cleansing ability to breathe in deep, and breath out relaxed.  Or say to your spouse or friend “I’m so grateful to be here, right now, with you.”

Whether at work, home, or play, taking opportunities to be more present will be like a rest.

My colleague and gifted massage therapist Dana Smith says it’s not about finding more time to be present, its finding those moments that are already there . Here are just a few of ideas.

• When you first wake up in the morning – before you get up – ask yourself:
• how would i like to feel, as I go through the day?
• As you drink a glass of water – feel it flow into your body as it hydrates you.
• At a stop light in the car on the way to work – practice breathing easily and deeply
• In a conversation – ask the other person what they think (you don’t have to solve it all)
• Listen for the ‘tone’ in their voice, the pace of their words, their facial expressions
• At lunch, step outside and feel the sun or a breeze on your face. 
• When you get home, tell someone you missed them (even if its the neighbor) and notice their expression
• As you lay down to sleep, ask yourself,
• what’s one thing I’m grateful for today?

4/ Make rest a routine – How ironic is that? On one hand I’m saying take a rest from your routines, on the other I’m saying create one. Too funny I know. But here is the thing. Most people are so busy doing things and serving others – that when they finally realize they could use a break – there’s no time! – So schedule it in. Make it a routine.

So what’s the answer – discipline or rest? Be disciplined about your rest.  You’ll be successful getting the rest you need so you can come back feeling stronger, refreshed, and ready to really bring it.

Here are a couple of other articles on how to recharge your resilience.

on vitality

on gratitude

on trusting others – they’ve got it