Lean Into Rest - Why it's so Important for Working Creatives
Editor’s Note: Some links in this article may be affiliate links. Full disclosure is located at the end of the article.
This episode is brought to you by our Premium Subscriber Community on Patreon and Buzzsprout
With the Season 5 finale, Melissa and Heather talk about rest and why it's so critical for self-employed creatives.
What does rest look like (no it's not sleep - but that's critical too!)? It's not a "one size fits all" concept. It may be a two week vacation but what if a "leave the house" vacation isn't possible?
We dig deep into ways we can ensure rest is part of our creative cycle - whether you're an introvert, extrovert, parent, caregiver, managing multiple roles, financially strapped or somebody who needs movement or somebody who needs stillness. And we talk about how switching our mindset towards everyday chores we don't like can actually turn them into moments of restoration for our brains!
Support the show
Did you know you can now directly support the podcast and help us keep creating great content you want to listen to and get access to bonus subscriber episodes?
You can support the show via Buzzsprout (our podcasting host) or Patreon. The benefits are exactly the same - all you have to do is choose your preferred platform!
This Episode Is For…
This episode is for creatives who...
are tired or feeling burnt out
know they need rest but don't know how to make it happen
don't find typical "restful" activities particularly restorative
are looking for ways to incorporate small moments of rest into each day
need a longer break
need permission to ask for rest when they need it (here's your permission!)
If you just want the links to the resources mentioned in this episode, scroll down to the bottom.
Listen To the Episode
Here’s a link to this week’s episode. You can also listen via the player below or on your favourite podcast app (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, I Heart Radio, Overcast and more). Just search for And She Looked Up!
Transcript & Chapter Markers
You can find a full transcript and chapter markers here. Just click on the episode title for all the juicy details!
what is rest?
In this episode we discuss:
Heather’s energy when her four month solo exhibition wrapped up
how taking a contract job forced rest upon her and gave her permission to play rather than create to sell
rest allows creativity to take the lead, rather than the business
honoring the cycle of the creative wave - ride the wave, flop down on the beach and rest, then paddle back out and wait for the next wave while you bide your time
another wave always comes so trust that and give yourself time to rest so you’re ready to ride the next wave in
using rest time to replenish: your supplies, your creative well, anything that needs filling up so that when the next wave comes in you’re ready
professional athletes have an off season - why don’t we?
is a vacation rest?
how do you rest when you can’t remove yourself from your environment (like on a vacation)
movement can be restful (not exercise but movement)
meditative activities that let your brain process things
the connection between grief and rest
how to incorporate rest on a daily basis
shifting routines and flipping the everyday on its head
entrenched habits and routines can prohibit rest - and creativity
putting our phones down
find the meditative quality in everyday chores - meal prep, laundry, mopping the floor - and embrace it
being in the moment can be restful
asking for rest when we need it
Mentioned In This Episode:
- Good Food, Healthy Planet by Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma
Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma Episodes
- Episode 101: Reducing Waste In Your Creative Business
- Episode 35: Getting Started with TV Appearances to Promote Your Creative Business
- Episode 34: Creative Canadian Women: Writer Puneeta Chhitwal Varma
Other Mentions
Did you know you can now directly support the podcast and help us keep creating great content you want to listen to? You can help here.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Support the Podcast
Wondering how you can support the podcast? Here are some great ways you can support the podcast!
subscribe or follow the podcast on your favourite podcast app
follow us on your favorite social media platform:
Sign up for our newsletter (see below)
Purchase your set of And She Looked Up motivational stickers made just for female creative entrepreneurs!
We’re On YouTube!
You can now listen to the podcast on YouTube! We’re in the process of uploading our entire archive onto YouTube, one episode a day, so you can listen there. Once we’re caught up, new episodes will be uploaded every Friday!