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8. The One Where We Talk About Rest
24 Plays1 month ago
In this heartfelt and honest episode of The Mindful Educator Podcast, Victoria dives into the underestimated value of rest in our fast-paced society. Prompted by a simple question she saw online, "How do you rest without feeling guilty?", Victoria shares reflections, personal anecdotes, and practical strategies to help you embrace true rest without shame or guilt. From mindful silence and nostalgic joys to colouring books and Play-Doh, this episode is a gentle nudge to rediscover rest as a form of self-love and healing.
What You'll Hear:
- Why rest feels taboo and how to break that mindset
- The impact of modelling rest for our kids
- Personal stories on walking, housework, and missing the black line of the pool
- Meditation tips for beginners
- Restful activities that don’t involve screens or endless scrolling
- Giving yourself permission to rest without guilt
- How rest leads to greater productivity and balance
Mindful Moments:
- "Start small and reconnect with what you loved as a child."
- "Let go of the idea that rest equals laziness."
- "You don’t need to be seen doing something all the time."
- "Your body and mind crave silence. Give them that gift."
Resources Mentioned:
- Insight Timer App (for guided meditations)
- Adult colouring books, paint-by-numbers, puzzles
- Simple joys like cloud watching and walking barefoot in nature
Listener Challenge:Take 10 minutes today just for rest. No screens. No guilt. Just be. Whether it's lying on the grass, painting, or sitting in silence—notice how it makes you feel.
Connect with Victoria: Instagram @the.victoria.r
Thanks for tuning in! Remember to share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that rest is not just okay—it's essential.
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Transcript
Excitement Over New Tech and Workspace Concerns
00:00:37
Victoria R
Hello everybody, welcome back to the Mindful Educator podcast. I've just got a new laptop and I'm just looking at how much clearer everything is on here.
00:00:47
Victoria R
It has blown my mind. um How are you all? How's everyone going? I hope you guys have had an amazing week wherever you are, whatever you're doing. um I've been in the middle of doing a bit of an office um reset the last few days. I kind of um cracked it with the way my office was looking and I've literally just rearranged everything, got rid of a heap of stuff and it's just feeling a whole lot calmer in here.
00:01:12
Victoria R
I'm hoping it's not too echoey though because um there is a lot more space. So we'll see how we go.
How Can We Rest Effectively?
00:01:18
Victoria R
But today i wanted to talk to you about rest and this is such an interesting topic in our modern society and the reason I kind of and decided to start chatting about this today is um I saw a post this morning from someone that I follow and she was asking pretty much how to rest.
00:01:42
Victoria R
how How do you kind of switch your mind off? How do you do it without necessarily doom scrolling or watching, you know, trashy TV and all the rest of it. And it really got me to thinking because it is kind of seen as almost taboo and to want to rest, to say that you're resting, um to let people know that, you know, you you might have a day where you haven't done anything or you might have pockets of time where,
00:02:11
Victoria R
you know, you do take that time to
Redefining Rest: Beyond Laziness
00:02:13
Victoria R
rest. And it's really got me thinking as to why are we at a point in society where to allow our bodies to rest and our minds to rest is seen as maybe laziness or that there's something wrong or, you know, you're not doing what you should be or could be in that time.
00:02:33
Victoria R
And it's really quite ironic because in order to be able to do the things that we want to do, We need to have those moments to rest. We need to be able to let our minds just be. We need to let our bodies be.
00:02:47
Victoria R
um The rest time allows us to of regenerate, rejuvenate. And it's often in those silent moments that a lot of stuff comes through.
Teaching Children the Value of Rest
00:03:00
Victoria R
And I think especially for our children as they're growing up, I think it's really important that they see that rest is okay as well. We are in a time um in society where filling our schedules and wearing busy as a badge of honour is kind of the the norm, what people seem to think is okay and acceptable. And unfortunately what we're seeing as a result is obviously people are getting sick, they're getting run down, their even tolerance levels are a lot lower.
00:03:40
Victoria R
Obviously burnout is becoming more and more prevalent as well. And it's just not sustainable. Our bodies weren't designed to be on the go 24-7. It's not the way that they should be.
00:03:53
Victoria R
And even when people are sleeping or trying to sleep, their minds are still ticking over and it's that constant loop.
Evaluating Daily Routines for Rest Opportunities
00:04:00
Victoria R
And it was really quite fascinating reading a lot of the comments um in reply to this post. And there's some really good points that kind of came through.
00:04:10
Victoria R
And I wanted to touch on a few of them today as we go through it. And firstly, I just want you to kind of have a bit of a think about your own day today and if you actually give yourself time to rest.
00:04:23
Victoria R
So when I say rest, I mean both physical and mental. And actually, allowing it your mind just to be so there's there's nothing that you have to do.
00:04:37
Victoria R
or even if there is stuff that you have to do, you can put it aside for certain amount of time while you just be.
Personal Rest Strategies and Meditation
00:04:46
Victoria R
right. And i can probably guarantee a lot of us are going to go, oh, no, usually when I'm doing, I'm, oh you know, on my phone or, you know, I've got my podcast in my ears or I'm listening to an audio book or whatever it might be.
00:05:02
Victoria R
There's very few times that we kind of let ourselves sit in silence or just sit and be without there being something to look at or do or you know, listen to as well.
00:05:14
Victoria R
And I'm guilty of this as well. Like I know um whenever I used to go for walks, I always always had something in my ears. And a lot of the time, especially if I go on beach walks now, i don't. I just...
00:05:27
Victoria R
literally just walk and I listened to the sounds of the beach and the waves and everything else that's going on around me um and that took a little bit just to get used to when we're doing stuff around the house usually there's music on or there's something in our ears again you know ah know um quite a few people listen podcasts and audiobooks as they're doing housework but again you know I know this sounds a bit random, but when I'm actually doing housework, that's kind of when my mind literally just switches off.
00:06:01
Victoria R
Like there is I'm off in my own little world. I couldn't tell you what I think about half the time. I even find myself kind of having conversations with myself. It's so random. It's one of my only times that I can truly switch off. And I know that I feel much the same when I'm swimming laps.
00:06:18
Victoria R
um If anyone's a swimmer here or that's listening, you might understand, you know, following that black line up and down the pool. For me, it was almost like a form of meditation. And I do miss it. Like where we live, we don't have a pool. And oh my gosh, I do miss that. And I miss the feeling of just nothing like literally my brain was just it was like static you couldn't hear anything nothing was going on in there was just you know counting maybe how many i'd be like 100 200 300 that's kind of how it was it was just it was nice and trying to get that feeling trying to get that rest for your mind is can be a really hard thing to do
00:06:58
Victoria R
So i think looking at things like meditation is wonderful.
Getting Started with Meditation
00:07:02
Victoria R
It's such a great way to start, but it's really it can be really tricky if you're not used to it. So if you are wanting to start meditation, I suggest you start really simple.
00:07:13
Victoria R
So start with guided meditations and there's heaps out there. There's like the insight timer, I think, the out that you can get on your phone. Bit ironic, you know, you're talking about phones and then ah we can also get our meditation there.
00:07:26
Victoria R
Even just putting on some music and sometimes you don't even need to do um the meditation, um following along with the guided or the music. Sometimes you can just focus on your breathing and just focusing on that and just letting your mind be.
00:07:39
Victoria R
It's as simple as that. And that rest for your mind is sorry it's so beneficial. like Once you start doing that, it's just such a little practice, but once you start doing that, there's going to be kind of huge rewards in how you think about things and how you approach things and your whole body regulation as well.
00:08:01
Victoria R
And one thing um that...
The Restorative Power of Short Meditations
00:08:05
Victoria R
I've kind of yeah how this study and research into it. But one thing I always remember is reading how even just like 10 to 20 minutes of meditation can provide like adequate rest for your whole body as well. Like even if you don't have a good night's sleep, if you can manage to kind of do your, you know, 10 to 20 minutes of meditation and actually just allow your mind and body to experience that, it actually kind of,
00:08:34
Victoria R
resets everything. It's fascinating. Like honestly, the human body and the human mind. Oh, I love it. so that is kind of one way that we can approach it. And I did write a comment. I did reply um to her and I said, you know, let's like some so really simple things are like looking up at the clouds.
Rediscovering Restful Childhood Activities
00:08:53
Victoria R
I don't know. Do you guys ever remember doing that as a kid? Like you just lay back and look up at the clouds and you'd see all the shapes in them and you know you'd see them moving and whether they're fast or slow and hopefully there's clouds in the sky when you wanted to do it.
00:09:05
Victoria R
Obviously not a clear blue day But again, like just going back and just doing something like that can just, it's resting. i know that sounds so ridiculous, but it's resting. I know sometimes when I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed, I'll go lay on the trampoline and I'll literally just do that. I look up at the sky or I close my eyes and I just feel the sun on my face and it's just such a nice feeling.
00:09:28
Victoria R
So getting out in nature of any sort is also a great way to rest. but Dig your feet in the sand or the grass and just enjoy it.
00:09:39
Victoria R
Just sit there for a little bit and just enjoy it. Put your phone away. You don't need your phone to do that. You don't need to film yourself doing it. Don't be bloody film everything. Just don't worry about it. Just be.
00:09:50
Victoria R
Just be. Just enjoy. You know, I did also mention, you know, doing things like your puzzles and your crosswords and um like a jigsaw puzzle as well. And also thinking about what did you actually really love to do when you were younger? Like what are those things that brought you so much joy when you were a child that kind of helped you to just be yourself?
00:10:14
Victoria R
And even things like colouring or, you know, your paint by numbers, all those things are also great for resting. it just It means that we're kind of, with we're doing stuff, but we're not doing stuff just to be busy. Like it's it's actually stuff that allows you to just be, to take a moment.
00:10:35
Victoria R
And it does give your body and your mind a chance to rest. And I think a lot of people don't realize that, that even though you're still doing an activity of some sort, it is actually a restful activity.
Allowing Yourself to Rest Without Guilt
00:10:47
Victoria R
And like i said, a lot of the comments are also commenting on things like, giving yourself permission to rest because that's a huge one like how many of us actually think it's okay to rest or you do and then you hear the front door and you jump up like oh yeah yeah yeah like i gotta look busy i can't be seen you know to be sitting on the couch or to be just sitting down and doing something and i'm again like why are we like that our bodies need this our minds need this we need to make it acceptable to be doing this again. It's not a bad thing.
00:11:19
Victoria R
it is okay to rest. It is okay to take time to just be within yourself, to do things that you love to do, to do those hobbies that you maybe haven't been able to do for ages, any crafting, any needlework, anything like that.
00:11:34
Victoria R
That's okay to do. yeah You know, you might, oh, I don't know. that There's all sorts of things that probably When you think about it, when you go back to what you love to do as a child, there's probably heaps of things that kind of come to mind once you actually give yourself the chance to think about it all.
00:11:52
Victoria R
So start incorporating that into your weeks. Why do we stop doing it just because we're adults? Huh? That makes no sense. You know, let's actually make sure that we're trying to do those things that we enjoy. And I think by finding those little moments of joy, you automatically find that you're resting as well because they're things that you love to
Finding Joy and Rest in Hobbies
00:12:14
Victoria R
do. They're things that, you know, i calm the mind.
00:12:17
Victoria R
It calms your body. You know, it gives you those good feelings inside. You're like, oh, yeah, I love doing this. I mean, one thing for me that I will admit i have not really made the time for, and I'm not saying I don't have the time, I haven't made the time for, and that's painting.
00:12:34
Victoria R
It's something I am absolutely terrible at. There is no way but like, My artwork would ever, ever be seen as anything good, but I love doing it.
00:12:47
Victoria R
And even if it's just the paint by numbers, it's something that I enjoy because again, it just switches my mind off. It means that I'm not just, you know, having to be on all the time.
Embracing Childlike Activities for Calmness
00:12:59
Victoria R
you know, and that's where things like the coloring in the adult coloring in that was huge a few years ago, because I think people were like, Oh, this is actually so nice. Another thing playing with Play-Doh.
00:13:09
Victoria R
Has anyone played with Play-Doh as an adult? How much fun is that? Anything sensory like that? I am all over it. That to me is so calming. Oh, I absolutely love it. I sit there and the kids are like, Mom, what are I'm like, Oh,
00:13:24
Victoria R
play so make a batch of play-doh go play um the kids will love it too so you know it's an added bonus but all those things like we almost feel because we're now adults we can't do any of that stuff well I'm gonna call you out and say that's bollocks we can and we should be so make more of an effort too my big thing which I know I've spoken about before is reading I absolutely love reading it is one thing that I will ah you you Half the time I won't hear you if you're talking to me.
00:13:55
Victoria R
If I'm in the middle of a really good book, drives my husband mad. He's like, he doesn't get it. But if you're a reader, you know where I'm coming
Immersing in Reading for Mental Rest
00:14:03
Victoria R
from. And that is one thing that allows me to rest in the best way possible.
00:14:08
Victoria R
And so... I would love for you to be able to maybe think of what you really loved doing when you were younger. right. So what were those things that you loved as a child? you know, it could have just been even, you know, like doing the little scribbles on a page, like just, you know,
00:14:27
Victoria R
drawing flowers and randomly colouring them in or whatever, I don't know whatever you used to love doing. You know, maybe you were great and you loved beading. Maybe you like to make, you know, beaded bracelets and this and that and everything else.
00:14:39
Victoria R
You know, i start going back to what those things were that used to bring you joy and that used to allow you to rest and try and bring them back in.
Returning to Childhood Joys
00:14:49
Victoria R
Because if I say to you, oh, you cannot do anything for the next 30 minutes,
00:14:56
Victoria R
You'll be like, what mean? It'll freak you out. You won't know yet what to do So start off small, start off with those things you like, and eventually you'll start learning that, okay, things are coming becoming a little bit slower. We can take that time. We can take those moments and the guilt won't be as intense as when you first start. Because I think that's what a lot of us um experience when we do is try and start resting is we feel that such guilt, almost a bit of shame around it as well. Like, and although I should be doing this.
00:15:26
Victoria R
should be doing this. Oh my gosh, I need to be doing this.
00:15:30
Victoria R
Yeah, it's still going to be there. I can tell you that now, that list will still be there, but you're just going to have to put it aside because if you want to be more productive, you actually need to rest more. All right. It seems totally,
00:15:44
Victoria R
counterproductive to say that, but it is true. The more you rest, the more productive you will be.
Rest as a Path to Increased Productivity
00:15:49
Victoria R
And that's a good lesson for all of us to understand. and it's something that we do need to start incorporating.
00:15:55
Victoria R
Let's stop seeing rest as laziness. Let's stop seeing it as something that we shouldn't be doing. And let's start doing it more. Let's start finding those moments every day and taking the time to rest.
00:16:10
Victoria R
right Because your mind will thank you for it. Your body will thank you for it. And your children and will thank you for it when they see that it is okay to do. All right. And I'm not meaning just, you know, sitting in front of the TV your time all the time. Find stuff that actually or even just don't find anything. Just go lay, like I said, in the yard and look at the clouds.
00:16:30
Victoria R
You know, i just actually show your children that it is okay to take that time to rest. And it is really difficult in a school situation to demonstrate that.
00:16:43
Victoria R
So if you're a teacher listening, it is, oh, like I'll be honest, a school day is jam-packed. We know what it's like. We know how much is trying to fit in there. But if you can show your students or give them just just five to ten minutes just to be.
00:17:01
Victoria R
you know even to go through a meditation with them or whatever it might be. If we can start incorporating something really simple like that in the school day, that will be highly beneficial for them as well.
Integrating Rest into Education
00:17:14
Victoria R
Because our poor children, when they go to school, they're just on constantly. It's on, it's on. One thing to the other, to the other, to the other. All right. And even their rest times, which are recess and lunch, it's not restful. They just want to play with their friends or they're having to quickly eat their lunch in, you know, the 10, 15 minutes that they're allowed.
00:17:30
Victoria R
That's not resting. It's not restful. If anything, it's like, oh my God, I need to hurry up so again, if you're a teacher listening, if you can try and find those moments in the day for the students in your classrooms,
00:17:44
Victoria R
it will benefit in the long run. You will notice a difference in the students that you have in your room because like I said, the rest allows the productivity to come later. All right. It actually, we need one in order to have the other. And I think this is a big piece that our society is missing. They're not quite getting it.
Normalizing Rest as Essential for Health
00:18:05
Victoria R
So if we can start at home, if we can start in the classrooms, then it is going to be a huge help. So, That's just kind of where I'm at. Very quickly jumped on. Sorry, I was probably all over the place today because my thoughts are running in a million different directions with this.
00:18:22
Victoria R
But essentially, i would love for you to make that time every day for rest, to find the things that bring you joy when it comes to resting. If you're a previous swimmer or you are a swimmer like me, enjoy the black line. Yeah.
00:18:37
Victoria R
I do miss it. I do miss it. We need to pull it down. Yeah. And like I said, I hope you can slowly start recognising that rest is rest is's okay. Rest is expected. It is normal. It is safe. It is to be normal.
00:18:52
Victoria R
All right. And stop feeling that guilt over it. All right, everyone. Go rest. And I will speak to you all soon.