What the Seasons Can Teach Us About Rest & Productivity

Many life lessons could be learned if we took the time to pay attention to the nature around us. However, living in the modern world with technology, windowless offices, sedentary routines, and mile long to-do lists makes this difficult. We must be even more intentional in slowing down and listening to the wise messages from Mother Nature.

I spent much of my free time outside as a little girl. Growing up in the Northeast afforded me the privilege of experiencing the full range of the seasons, including the colorful autumns, icy winters, vibrant awakenings of spring to the muggy summers. Autumn was always my favorite with the crisp air and trees changing to beautiful shades of orange, red, and yellow. I remember the sound of fallen leaves crunching under my feet as I walked in my neighborhood and reflected on the work I had done so far.

After autumn came the cold winter in which days shortened, the air grew silent as the animals hibernated, and my colorful world turned to shades of gray. It felt like a time of rest.

I often hear people talk about being productive, measuring it in terms of tangible achievements.

“I have to work extra hard in the gym this week to make up for the missed time while I was ill.”

“I can’t sit down. There is too much to do.”

“I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

Imagine the amount of laughs I’ve received when I’ve asked, “Can rest be productive too?”

The truth is that productivity starts with rest. Let’s go back to the seasons. Autumn is a time where the leaves fall to the ground to decay, feeding the earth, and making room for new growth come spring. Winter comes and nature becomes still. Then, spring pops up, nature buzzes again as rain nourishes the seeds we planted, and bees wake up from their slumber ready to pollinate. Summer is the burst of energy as daylight increases and the seeds we planted last season bloom into beautiful flowers.

What if our bodies and minds need a similar cycle of rest and productivity? Without adequate rest (aka winters), our brains become exhausted and burnt out. We become more irritable, less focused, and chronically fatigued. Our work suffers. Without rest, our immune systems are more likely to pick an inconvenient time to become sick in an effort to force us to slow down.

Listen, I get that rest can be hard to come by. Many of us wear multiple hats in various roles, each requiring a lot of energy and input. I know it may not always be realistic to take a nap in the middle of the day or get a full night of uninterrupted sleep when your kids barge into the room. Here are some small ways to incorporate some more rest into your life. After all, why not plant some seeds now to help your productivity garden flourish later?

• Set boundaries around the screens. Spend some time without the phone, tablet, or computer in hand. Your brain and eyeballs will thank you later.

• Devote enough time for a good night of sleep. Start your night of sleep with a calming winddown routine, preferably limiting screentime, using blackout curtains in the bedroom, and avoiding stressful conversations before bed.

• Go outside! Even if this means five minutes standing in the sunshine or going for a brief walk on your lunch break. Connecting with nature is a great way to recharge and reset.

• Engage your body in gentle movement. Yoga, stretching, and massage can be a great way to release stress and tension that your muscles may be holding onto. Athletes: this means take a rest day – even if you still want to move. Focus on the active rest.

• Take at least ONE deep breath (I’m serious. Stop reading and do this right now). Our bodies tend to get so wrapped up in being productive that we forget to take adequate breaths. Taking full, deep breaths can help calm your nervous system and clear your mind to focus on the task ahead.

• Carve out time for your hobbies. Maybe five minutes coloring or doodling. 15 minutes of reading or listening to a new audiobook. Sing and dance to your favorite 2-minute-long song in between appointments. Fun = rest.

• Utilize to-do lists. Break them down into small, realistically achievable tasks. This can help you stay organized and get those tasks out of your brain and down on paper so you don’t forget. Slowly chip away at that list while incorporating rest after completing each task.

It can take a while to recognize when our hustle and grind mentalities are no longer helpful. It may take making small tweaks to your day. But just start somewhere. Your body and mind deserve some rest for all their hard work! And remember, if those winters ever feel like they get too dark and long, like spring will never come, please reach out for support. There are people out there who feel like sunshine and may help you shovel out of the snow.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 988 (24-7 support)

Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741