Career Monday: Rest for Increased Productivity

Happy new week! Today we are all about rest and how it is important for improved productivity. It is important to rest and especially sleep well as this helps the body to restore and repair itself and helps the brain to function properly as well. Lack of sleep and overall rest affects the way we think, learn, get along with people and even handle our emotions. So how can we ensure we rest properly?

1. Change your environment: A change is as good as rest, right? You may not necessarily change your room completely, for instance, but you can get heavier curtains that allow less light to pass through, to enable you to sleep in easier.
2. Exercise: Exercise really helps you to rest especially after a long day. Taking a walk or running, going to the gym and even doing cardio exercises in the house, help circulation in the body as they help increase blood flow. Exercise also helps reduce stress.
3. Have a sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day consistently reinforces your natural sleep-wake cycle.
4. Take naps: Afternoon naps can be rejuvenating. If you are in a position to do so, take naps as they help you recharge mentally. Napping also increases alertness and decreases fatigue.
5. Stop at the right time: It may be tempting to push yourself to work long hours to finish up a project or beat a deadline. Sometimes, you can’t avoid this but try as much as you can to deliberately stop working at the right time. Stopping when you have a little energy left makes it easier to get started the next day.