The importance of R.E.S.T. in your daily life
Back to the Table of Contents of “Build Your Roadmap”
R.E.S.T.
Last week, I revealed my five Bright Lines, the areas that direct my effort on a daily basis. I promised you a more thorough treatment of each in the coming weeks — and we’ll get to that later as part of my larger efforts to share what I learned over the years in the hope it might help you on your journey from here to there.
But before we do, I want to introduce a practice that’s been foundational for me as a leader and as a person. As an underlying practice, the work-life integration (notice I don’t say balance) it provides has allowed me to structure businesses, military units, non-profits, teaching, campaigns, family life, and basically everything I do around a structure that works for me. It may help you, too, particularly if you’re just entering the workforce or transitioning your career or company. Whether you are in a routine or starting something new, I hope this helps.
The basic concept of R.E.S.T. is to intentionally invest in yourself. You can’t spend every moment of your day on work. In fact, improving as a leader means becoming a more rested, prepared, and insightful individual. It seems counterintuitive, but spending less time at work can actually make you more productive. Throughout my 30 plus years since high school I have been fascinated with reading and studying what others do to get the most from their day as efficiently as possible. Burnout is real and you need to be on guard for it.
At the end of the 2000’s, I worked in the Pentagon for the (then) Chief of Staff of the Army, General George Casey. As “CEO” of the Army he had a $250 Billion budget to manage as well as a million person organization to prepare, train and equip to deploy overseas. Needless to say, he had a lot on his plate, 24 hours a day. I learned many things in the two years I worked for him, but one of the most important is the concept of “R.E.S.T.” I can confirm that a sustained effort to Read, Exercise, Sleep, and Think will pay huge dividends in your personal and professional life.
READ
Albert Einstein is widely reported to have said, “Once you stop learning, you start dying.” And a great way to learn is by reading.
By taking the time to read a few pages a day, you’re breaking away from your day-to-day, expanding perspective and revealing lessons beyond your expectation. I’m not suggesting that we’re all wired to be modern-day renaissance individuals, but stretching intellectual horizons is like yoga for the brain. It has both immediate (stretching) and long-term (limberness, flexibility) benefits.
Read outside your discipline. If you’re a tech entrepreneur, read some ancient history. If you’re a politician, learn the contradictions between relativity and quantum physics. Consider engaging the classics, and find out why Plato, the Bible, the Koran, and the Tao Te Ching are still relevant today. Pick up some fiction, read the news — even listen to a podcast. Confront new ideas and use them to challenge yourself and your teams. The Browser is a site I’ve discovered that has really enriching content to stretch your brain.
There’s always something else to learn. Over the years, I’ve realized that most new problems are really just old problems, pivoted. Recognizing them as they re-emerge prepares you to meet the challenge. A great example of this was the evolution of RideScout. We were at the right place, at the right time, with the right team to take a lot of great ideas and blend them in a new way.
EXERCISE
Physical exercise not only prepares your body, but it gives your mind the break and boost it needs. Exercise clears your head by focusing on the body, and that releases your mind — a good thing. It’s also a great stress reliever and, for me, often opens the gateway to new ideas and solutions.
Some people say that exercise is boring, but I’ll never forget what I learned listening to a Freakonomics podcast once — that the exercise that delivers the most benefit has three components: intensity, individualization, and an aspect you actually enjoy. Discover what that is for you. It can be as simple as 7 minutes a day. (If you enjoy the 7 minute workout, there are dozens of apps for your phone.) It’s especially good if you travel and you are in different hotel rooms every week.
I’m in the process of broadening my regime. Let me know what works for you!
SLEEP
Two notes on sleep: listen to your body, and rest when you need to. There are many days when I’ll step away from whatever I’m doing for a 15 minute power nap. If I need to, I’ll lay on a couch or the floor in a quiet room. You don’t even need to work about falling asleep. Just rest for 15 min with your eyes closed. Try it for two weeks without judging your progress.
Listen to your brain, listen to your body — maybe you like coffee to help you keep focus but a nap is more effective and much better for you.
Help me fight the stigma of the power nap! There is everything appropriate with taking a quick nap late morning or late afternoon to recharge your batteries. Our brains work in cycles, so try and get 6–8 hours of sleep, and nap 15–20 minutes if/when you need to.
Does jet lag drag you down? As best you can, sleep and wake within 90 minutes of the same time every day– even weekends. Otherwise, you throw yourself into mild jet lag without the exotic destination. It may feel great to get 12 hours, but it’s better to stay consistent all week.
Got a boss who looks down on naps? Send ’em my way! Be proud of taking a power nap. Close your door at work or find a conference room and lock the door for 15 minutes. Smartphones are perfect to set the time and wake you when ready. (Don’t sleep more than 20 minutes — trust me… You will enter into a whole new kind of sleep that will make you feel groggy and slow)
And for the love of all things holy, when you sleep at night, please turn your phone to silence mode. Too many people today get terrible sleep because every buzz, vibrate and ding throughout the night are ruining their quality sleep.
If you are already there with me on the importance of sleep, you can read the PhD level kind of work on the subject by Tim Ferriss.
THINK
Take the time to think. Turn off the distractions and just focus on one idea — or no ideas at all. Bring a notepad and pen when you do, because when you clear your mind of distraction, you allow new ideas to creep in. I tend to do this in the morning, right before I start answering emails. I turn-off the computer and phone and break away for a little while. Whatever feels most comfortable. This is not meditation. That is a whole different experience. I am talking about removing distraction to actually concentrate on a problem or allowing creative ideas to flow.
(As an aside– The “thinking part” of my day is the area I need to improve the most. Just writing this essay reminds me that I don’t take enough time to just stop and think.)
The importance of R.E.S.T. for a leader
Last thought: don’t believe that REST’ing is selfish. It’s not at all. Though this may go against the grain of the American work ethic, implementing REST has made me and many others more productive. A person or organization that understands the value of REST will be a better, more effective.
And — no surprise — you’ll also start to feel more in control of your world and more resilient to the curve balls life throws.
— — —
Got a comment or idea? I’d love to hear from you. Leave a note in the comment section.
Join with me on Twitter and LinkedIn as well to share your thoughts, ideas and opinions.
Until next time,
Joseph
Here is a quick summary of my background: www.JosephKopser.com
