Your Health – Is rest important?

YOUR HEALTH – 001 – Is rest important?

 

Member Care Media From TWR … and InterHealth.org.uk invite you to take a moment for your health.

 

* * * * *

 

As a cross cultural Christian worker you know that your health is important. You know it – but what are you doing to protect it?

 

For example – do you give yourself regular times to rest? … No that’s not a forbidden four-letter word. Some people live and work as though the concept of taking time for rest and relaxation is only for those who are lazy, and uncommitted – and, somehow, less than truly spiritual.

 

You don’t have time for rest. If we don’t believe you, just look at your to-do list. (If your shopping list was that long, you’d go bankrupt.) And then look at all the people you have to see. Someone has to reach them. Someone has to talk to them.

 

True.

 

But if your mind is foggy from fatigue, are you speaking with clarity when you meet with all those people for whom you are concerned? Is your mind selecting the right words to clearly say what you are trying to tell them? Would you do better if you took a little time – now and then – to rest?

 

People might be more ready to hear what you have to say if you don’t look and sound fatigued and stressed.

 

Machine and heavy equipment operators recognize that fatigue on the job is dangerous.  Many driving accidents happen because of driver fatigue. Safety notices often advise pulling off the road for a short nap before continue. Fatigue is a serious possible hazard in many important occupations.

 

Sometimes when you’re tired you make bad decisions. You may be more likely to lose your temper, or say discouraging words. That can be embarrassing … or even worse. It can also destroy progress you have made in your work. One bad decision, because of fatigue, could undo everything you have accomplished in the last year. Plus, those bad decisions you may have made, because of fatigue and a tired mind, could even bring danger to you or the security of your team.

 

If you become too fatigued you can become over-tired. As one result you might find it  difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. Another result that comes from fatigue – is burnout. You may also notice that people who are over-tired also seem to catch colds or other illnesses more quickly or more often.

 

So, how about you? … Is rest part of your schedule?

 

No one was more concerned about the people around him, the people who needed to be reached than Jesus. But Jesus actually took time to rest. Once – that we know of – he  stretched out in the back of a boat while the disciples rowed across a lake. … He slept. … Another time he took his disciples to a mountain retreat to get away from the pressure and stress of the work of meeting with and talking to all those people who kept pressing on them for attention and help.

 

If Jesus gave himself permission to take a break – to rest – surely we can too.

 

All right … maybe you admit it to yourself, if not out loud to anyone else. You do need to rest – to relax – once in awhile. But….

 

What is rest?

 

How long is rest?

 

How often is rest?

 

How do you keep from being branded as lazy if you take time to rest?

 

What do you do – to rest? … Collapse into a big easy chair somewhere quiet and do nothing? … Not necessarily. … It might work for you to do that. But there are other ways to rest.

 

A quiet place? … Maybe. … Maybe no. … It would be nice to find a quiet place to rest. But sometimes they are impossible to find. And yet, there are still ways of finding rest.

 

Sometimes rest comes with just a total change from what you have been doing. Something that is not connected with your daily work. Something that takes your mind off the usual thought patterns and pressures and stresses of your daily work.

 

What would that be for you? … What relaxes your mind? What takes your mind off the stress and pressures of your daily work?

 

It could be sleep … taking a nap for a short time can do wonders for some people. … It could be taking a walk. … Exercise is a good option.

 

If you can get away to a park or a country place for a brief time … that can be very refreshing for some people. Listening to the sound of waves on the beach. Or the gentle sound of a stream. Or a breeze blowing through the trees. Letting your eyes scan a scene that is a distance away from you, instead of the constant concentration on those things that are close to you.

Listening to music can be good too. Any kind of music that you find relaxing, or that takes your mind to a different world.

 

All these can provide a certain amount of rest or relaxation.

 

How about a good book? – No nothing serious. Nothing connected with your work or ministry. … Not study. … Something totally different. Something that will relax your mind.

 

For some, a hobby of some kind is just the change they need.

 

A DVD of a good movie might be the break that relaxes your mind – and your body.

 

Exercise can be good … we already mentioned that briefly. And we’ll talk about that another time.

 

Maybe what would be restful for you would be a quiet meal with family … or a quiet talk with a friend.

 

How often should you take time to rest? There is no set rule for that. That depends on the work you are doing and the pressures it puts on your life. … Businesses are finding that a break in the middle of the work day helps their employees to work more efficiently.

 

A short break every day is good. A full day away from the work every week can do wonders to give you a fresh perspective on what you are doing.

 

And don’t forget your vacation times. Make them restful. That’s what a vacation is for. … Rest.

 

Will you be branded as lazy if you take time to rest? Maybe … by some people. Workaholics tend to condemn everyone who doesn’t work themselves to death in the same way as they do. And in some cultures people just don’t take time to rest. At least they don’t do it in a way that you would consider relaxing. Sometimes you might need to explain that in the culture you come from it’s something you really need. After all God rested for a day. So don’t let what other people say or think stop you or worry you. It’s your life, and your work that you are protecting.

 

As a cross cultural Christian worker, you probably value your health. If you don’t … you should. And one of the most simple things you can do to enhance your health … to take care of your health … to improve your ability to do the job God has given you to do … is to give yourself permission to take time to rest.

 

* * * * *

 

A moment for your health is presented by Member Care Media from TWR, and by InterHealth.org.uk. For links to more information check out our website at www.membercaremedia.com or www.InterHealth.org.uk

YOUR HEALTH – 001 – Is rest important?

 

Member Care Media From TWR … and InterHealth.org.uk invite you to take a moment for your health.

 

* * * * *

 

As a cross cultural Christian worker you know that your health is important. You know it – but what are you doing to protect it?

 

For example – do you give yourself regular times to rest? … No that’s not a forbidden four-letter word. Some people live and work as though the concept of taking time for rest and relaxation is only for those who are lazy, and uncommitted – and, somehow, less than truly spiritual.

 

You don’t have time for rest. If we don’t believe you, just look at your to-do list. (If your shopping list was that long, you’d go bankrupt.) And then look at all the people you have to see. Someone has to reach them. Someone has to talk to them.

 

True.

 

But if your mind is foggy from fatigue, are you speaking with clarity when you meet with all those people for whom you are concerned? Is your mind selecting the right words to clearly say what you are trying to tell them? Would you do better if you took a little time – now and then – to rest?

 

People might be more ready to hear what you have to say if you don’t look and sound fatigued and stressed.

 

Machine and heavy equipment operators recognize that fatigue on the job is dangerous.  Many driving accidents happen because of driver fatigue. Safety notices often advise pulling off the road for a short nap before continue. Fatigue is a serious possible hazard in many important occupations.

 

Sometimes when you’re tired you make bad decisions. You may be more likely to lose your temper, or say discouraging words. That can be embarrassing … or even worse. It can also destroy progress you have made in your work. One bad decision, because of fatigue, could undo everything you have accomplished in the last year. Plus, those bad decisions you may have made, because of fatigue and a tired mind, could even bring danger to you or the security of your team.

 

If you become too fatigued you can become over-tired. As one result you might find it  difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. Another result that comes from fatigue – is burnout. You may also notice that people who are over-tired also seem to catch colds or other illnesses more quickly or more often.

 

So, how about you? … Is rest part of your schedule?

 

No one was more concerned about the people around him, the people who needed to be reached than Jesus. But Jesus actually took time to rest. Once – that we know of – he  stretched out in the back of a boat while the disciples rowed across a lake. … He slept. … Another time he took his disciples to a mountain retreat to get away from the pressure and stress of the work of meeting with and talking to all those people who kept pressing on them for attention and help.

 

If Jesus gave himself permission to take a break – to rest – surely we can too.

 

All right … maybe you admit it to yourself, if not out loud to anyone else. You do need to rest – to relax – once in awhile. But….

 

What is rest?

 

How long is rest?

 

How often is rest?

 

How do you keep from being branded as lazy if you take time to rest?

 

What do you do – to rest? … Collapse into a big easy chair somewhere quiet and do nothing? … Not necessarily. … It might work for you to do that. But there are other ways to rest.

 

A quiet place? … Maybe. … Maybe no. … It would be nice to find a quiet place to rest. But sometimes they are impossible to find. And yet, there are still ways of finding rest.

 

Sometimes rest comes with just a total change from what you have been doing. Something that is not connected with your daily work. Something that takes your mind off the usual thought patterns and pressures and stresses of your daily work.

 

What would that be for you? … What relaxes your mind? What takes your mind off the stress and pressures of your daily work?

 

It could be sleep … taking a nap for a short time can do wonders for some people. … It could be taking a walk. … Exercise is a good option.

 

If you can get away to a park or a country place for a brief time … that can be very refreshing for some people. Listening to the sound of waves on the beach. Or the gentle sound of a stream. Or a breeze blowing through the trees. Letting your eyes scan a scene that is a distance away from you, instead of the constant concentration on those things that are close to you.

Listening to music can be good too. Any kind of music that you find relaxing, or that takes your mind to a different world.

 

All these can provide a certain amount of rest or relaxation.

 

How about a good book? – No nothing serious. Nothing connected with your work or ministry. … Not study. … Something totally different. Something that will relax your mind.

 

For some, a hobby of some kind is just the change they need.

 

A DVD of a good movie might be the break that relaxes your mind – and your body.

 

Exercise can be good … we already mentioned that briefly. And we’ll talk about that another time.

 

Maybe what would be restful for you would be a quiet meal with family … or a quiet talk with a friend.

 

How often should you take time to rest? There is no set rule for that. That depends on the work you are doing and the pressures it puts on your life. … Businesses are finding that a break in the middle of the work day helps their employees to work more efficiently.

 

A short break every day is good. A full day away from the work every week can do wonders to give you a fresh perspective on what you are doing.

 

And don’t forget your vacation times. Make them restful. That’s what a vacation is for. … Rest.

 

Will you be branded as lazy if you take time to rest? Maybe … by some people. Workaholics tend to condemn everyone who doesn’t work themselves to death in the same way as they do. And in some cultures people just don’t take time to rest. At least they don’t do it in a way that you would consider relaxing. Sometimes you might need to explain that in the culture you come from it’s something you really need. After all God rested for a day. So don’t let what other people say or think stop you or worry you. It’s your life, and your work that you are protecting.

 

As a cross cultural Christian worker, you probably value your health. If you don’t … you should. And one of the most simple things you can do to enhance your health … to take care of your health … to improve your ability to do the job God has given you to do … is to give yourself permission to take time to rest.

 

* * * * *

 

A moment for your health is presented by Member Care Media from TWR, and by InterHealth.org.uk. For links to more information check out our website at www.membercaremedia.com or www.InterHealth.org.uk