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The Overworked Society

In a society that glorifies hustle and busyness, we often find ourselves trapped in a relentless cycle of work and stress. Our modern lives have become a whirlwind of activity, leaving us drained, exhausted and claiming a sense of peace that seems elusive, becoming ever harder to obtain. But what if I told you that true success, the kind that nourishes your souls and fuels your dreams, is rooted in something as simple and profound as rest? 

The Science Behind Rest: The Rest Deficit 

Before we dive into the transformative power of rest, let's consider some alarming statistics. According to the Rest Test, a study involving 18,000 participates, a staggering 66% of people feel they aren't getting enough rest (4). Even when they set aside time for rest, they emerge feeling far from rejuvenated. In the United States alone, 13% of work related injuries are attributed to fatigue (2). In the UK, half a million people are grappling with work-related stress (1). These statistics underscore a troubling reality: we are living in a state of perpetual exhaustion, and it's taking a toll on our physical and mental well-being. 

The Nervous System Dance: Rest vs. Stress

The crux of the matter lies in the intricate dance you do on a daily basis between rest and stress within your nervous system. Our bodies are designed to function optimally when they shift between these two states: the sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, freeze & fawn) and the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).  

Ideally, we should spend time in both states, finding balance between action and recuperation. This is where you might have heard about "healthy stress." However, our society has normalized consistent heightened stress levels, perpetually activating the sympathetic nervous system. This relentless stress is akin to living in survival mode, where cortisol, the stress hormone, remains persistently elevated. 

Rest as the Stress Buster & Hustle Healer

Cortisol is designed to respond to long-term stress, such as famine or wars. today, we experience this stress on a daily basis, from traffic jams to workplace pressures. The result? The body continually signals danger to the brain, hindering the ability for you to shift back into the rest and digest (parasympathetic nervous system) state. 

We've become trapped in a cycle of fight or flight, unable to find solace even during our supposed moments of rest. And yes, plopping on the couch and turning on the TV after a long exhausting day isn't always the rejuvenating rest you need. Often, it ends up being "rest-compensation." 

What's worse, we've started viewing rest as a luxury we can't afford or as a sign of laziness or weakness. Rest, however, is not an act of indulgence; it's a biological necessity. Just as nature has its cycles, with periods of rest like hibernation in winter, humans too need rest to thrive. It's time to dispel the myth that rest equates to laziness and recoginize it as the essential ingredient for holistic health. 

Rest, however, is not an act of indulgence; it's a biological necessity. 

The Holistic Path to Success: The Rest Revolution's Tangible Results

Achieving your goals, personal or professional, demands a holistic approach that integrates your entire being. It requires embracing a "body first" approach, syncing with your natural cycles, and most importantly, prioritzing rest. Rest is the key that unlocks your ability to thrive because it liberates you from the crutches of survival mode, that we are currently living in. 

The relationships between rest and success is profound. When you're perpetually in survival mode, you can only focus on immediate problems, unable to tap into innovation, creativity, or long-term productivity. It's a state I call "survival success," where you achieve success driven by fear rather than inspiration. This phenomena is more sneaky than you may think or like to admit. 

Rest, on the other hand, offers a gateway to not only reduced stress but also enhanced decision-making and fostering creativity. When you shift into rest and digest, your mind opens up to new ideas and solutions, since your brain is no longer focused on making sure you "survive" the current situation at hand. It's a state where innovation flourishes, where you can expand and truly thrive.

Rest is the catalyst for your success. It's the alchemy that transforms stress into opportunities and fatigue into vitality. 

Thriving through Rest 

Imagine being able to focus on your goals with a clear mind, unburdened by the relentless stress of survival mode. Picture the freedom to innovate, create, and excel in your career or with your business. This is the promise of rest - a path to increased energy, greater productivity, and thriving, sustainable success. 

Now let's delve into the concrete results that incorporating rest into your success & goal strategy can bring, especially for you career driven professions and entrepreneurs committed and striving for financial growth and expanded clientele. (Let me just add, this is important for everyone. I have worked with so many working parents as well who have changed their personal lives through this powerful yet simple tool). 

1. Clarity for Goal Achievement: When you're climbing the corporate ladder of your career or building a business, mental clarity of knowing where you are going and what your specific goals are, is essential. Embracing rest as part of your strategy provides this clarity. You define your goals, create precise roadmaps for flow, and execute with unwavering focus, propelling towards your career milestones. 
   
   
2. Business Growth and Client Expansion: I get it. You want your business to take off or to grow and expand on what you have already built. But, building a business is a HUGE journey and can come with a lot of stress and pressure. When you shift from the constant stress, you open yourself up to innovative ideas and get out of the comparative rat race. You begin attracting clients with renewed energy and creativity, leading to implementing magnetic marketing strategies, exceptional client experiences, and irresistible offers. Why? Cause you now have the capacity, energy and clarity.
   
   
3. Financial Success: Rest rejuvenates both body and mind. Prioritising rest translates to greater productivity, smarter financial decisions, and positioning yourself for wealth accumulation & abundance. Your financial goals become more attainable because now your self-worth and reenergized capabilities are shining through.  
   
   
4. Creativity and Innovation: Innovation is a key factor in career growth and entrepreneurial success. Prioritizing rest unlocks creative ideas. You discovery solutions to business challenges, create standout products, and differentiate yourself in the market. When you create space, the answers show up. 
   
   
5. Energy and Productivity: Rest prevents burnout, preserving and managing your energy and motivation. You'll wake up with the vitality to tackle your goals, whether it's securing a promotion or scaling your business. Rest fuels productivity, helping you work smarter, not harder.
    
6. Work-Life Balance: Balancing work and life is crucial. Constant grind can strain your relationships and health in the long run, whereas rest restores your inner and outer equilibrium. Success is not just career or business; it's thriving in all aspects of life, so that you can foster fulfilment and happiness overall. Otherwise, what's the point? 

Your Path Forward: The Cyclical Approach to Success

Incorporating rest into your success strategy isn't about taking a break from your commitment to your goals; it's about actually ensuring that you achieve your goals and do it sustainably so that you actually continue to build and grow on the goals you have achieved. (Instead of burning out and watching everything you've built crumble to the ground). Success is a cyclical journey, it is not a straight line. This cyclical journey is about uncovering and activating your own powerful cyclical nature. Especially as a womb-an, you have a different and unique way you are meant to work based on your energy and hormonal levels. Knowing how to work in alignment with your cyclical nature is the first step to changing the way you work, rest, and create success.

Embrace rest as your strategic partner, and you'll transition from survival success to inspired, aligned and sacred success. This is where the process of goal creation shifts, and you begin achieving your goals with clarity, creativity, and boundless energy. This is where you thrive in both your professional and personal life. 

If you are ready to revolutionize your approach to work and success with this cyclical approach and mindset, explore my signature course "Rest For Success" here. Step into a world where rest catalyzes your dreams and success become a harmonious, cyclical journey.

Success is a cyclical journey, it is not a straight line. 

Embrace the Rest Revolution

SO, the next time you find yourself caught in the whirlwind of busyness, remember this: rest is just an indulgence; it's the catalyst for your success. It's the alchemy that transforms stress into opportunities and fatigue into vitality. 

If you're ready to revolutionize your approach to work and success, I invite you to explore my signature sacred success course "Rest For Success." In this transformative program, you'll learn how to lay the foundations for your own "rhythm of rest" where you have the tools and the flow framework for thriving in life, where success is no longer a sacrifice but something you magnetize with ease, because you know how to do it sustainably. 

Embrace the rest revolution, and watch your life transform as you tap into the profound alchemy of rest. It's time to thrive, not just survive. 

Share with my in the comments below what resonated with you most and I'll be back to answer any questions! x Olivia 

Citations:

1- Health & Safety Executive, 'Work-related Stress, Depression or Anxiety Statistics in Great Britain, 2018'. HSE, 31 01 2018. https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress.pdf 

2- National Safety Council (2017) Fatigue in the Workplace: Causes & Consequences of Employee Fatigue. Illinois: National Safety Council

3- Mental Health Foundation (May 2018) Stress: Are We Coping? London: Mental Health Foundation

4- Callard F, Staines K, Wilkes J, editors. The Restless Compendium: Interdisciplinary Investigations of Rest and Its Opposites.Basingstoke (UK): [Palgrave Macmillan](http://www.palgrave.com/); 2016.