
Many of us have a hard time thinking about rest! It takes us so long to get started that once we do, we keep going until we drop! We are already behind and don’t feel as if we have the time to rest. And truthfully, rest sounds just a little bit boring!
What if rest were active, energizing and restorative? Dr. Shaundra Dalton Smith, a board-certified internist and work-life balance researcher, discovered the power of rest after experiencing burn out in her residency. Not only did active rest change her life, but those of her patients. She is a strong proponent of work-life balance and asserts that rest is “active”.
Types of Rest | Examples | How the Rest Benefits People with ADHD |
Physical | Getting a good night's sleep | Sleep issues are much more closely associated with ADHD. If you struggle with sleep, it is as if you have ADHD times two! |
Mental | Taking breaks throughout the day or writing down intrusive thoughts | People with ADHD experience a constant intrusion of thoughts. One client told me it is as if his TV is changing channels and he doesn’t have the remote! |
Emotional | Express how you feel to someone without worrying about pleasing them | Living with stress on a daily basis wears a person down. Meltdowns threaten if you get behind at work, have to scramble to get ready for company or are doing homework with your child who has ADHD for three hours a night. |
Spiritual | Prayer, meditation or time spent in nature | People with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD have trouble pausing and act as if they are “driven by a motor”. Connecting with something greater than ourselves can be calming and transformative. |
Social | Spending time with people who lift you up | Women with ADHD are overextended. It can be difficult to say no. With good treatment, self-worth improves. You limit time spent with toxic people and intentionally spend more time with those who support you. |
Sensory | Spend time in a quiet place with the lights dimmed | Overstimulation and sensory defensiveness are commonly seen with ADHD. It might be coping with ambient sound, bright lights, hearing a ticking clock, being irritated by the tag on a shirt or the seams in a sock. |
Creative | Making something with your hands, such as cooking, drawing or doing a puzzle | Many people with ADHD are creatives and divergent thinkers. Spending time doing something that energizes you can have a big payoff, making the mundane tasks of life more palatable. |
Schedule time for active rest and watch it change your life! Check out Dr. Shaudra Dalton Smith’s free rest quiz to see where you could use some rest!
If you need support in finding rest and creating work-life balance, schedule a free consultation with an ADHD coach today!
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