I pretend I can be all the things and do all the things with no stopping (except laundry. I don’t want to do ALL the things.) I behave as if I am infinite and omnipotent. And then my glass house shatters as soon as the stone of hangry gets tossed and the brick of six hours of sleep is thrown. Because I am limited, I need rest. 

Self-care is everywhere. True self-care rhythms of rest and renewal restore the mind, body, and soul. Rest not only keeps us from falling apart, but we actually transform and grow.

How do we extend that to others?

If rest transforms individuals, rested individuals transform teams, families, organizations, and communities. And that requires a leader who values rest. 

I have friends who run Neighborhoods Coffee & Crepes @neighborhoodsc in Fenway in Boston. This past month, they decided to expand their personal practice of rest to their business. They chose to close Neighborhoods one day a week. This experiment of leading others into rest has not been without challenges. They’re living in the tension of rest and profitability, working through creative solutions to bring rest to their community. 

So a few questions to consider about leading others in rest:

How do you respond when team members use all their PTO?

Do you help your children recharge after school?

What do your breaks from working look like?

What routines of rest have you established for your team?

How do you respond when your teenager is exhausted?

Do you proactively help your people manage their workload?

Who else can do the laundry? (Ok, just asking that for myself!)

Learning to rest is a continual growth process. Leading others into rest is the same. 

How can you lead others into rest today?