Intentional Rest For Leaders
Practical ways to Finding Rhythms of Rest
By Rhonda Began, LW Executive & Sabbatical Coach
As we come out of the Christmas season into a New Year full of possibilities and resolutions there are a lot of “to do’s” on the list. A new year is like a fresh spiral notebook or journal that is waiting for all the opportunities that are yet to come…or things that we have put off until after the holidays.
We begin to schedule meetings, set deadlines and make plans for what needs to be done with intentionality to stay on top of our priorities. No matter where we lead, there is more to do than we have hours in the day. Strategizing, goal setting, and calendaring are tools to accomplish the important things in our lives, but there is often an essential part of physical, emotional, relational and occupational health that we dismiss - REST.
You might be thinking, but who has time to rest?
We need to shift our ideas about rest, otherwise we are headed to burnout. Rest is NOT something that we get as a reward for hard work or completing our tasks. Instead, think of rest as a break from our work; as a renewal of our body, mind and soul.
Jesus, the greatest leader of all time, modeled that rest as an essential part of his life. He taught:
Rest that is connected to time with God brings about perspective on the past as well as renewal and clarity for what is to come.
Rest is a part of physical, emotional & spiritual replenishing from work and servant leadership.
Rest is required, even encouraging the disciples to get away from the crowds and be renewed.
Matthew 11: 28 - 30 says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
As we lead, rest needs to be an intentional practice, one you put on your schedule. When we practice pulling away and quieting the noise, we seem to hear God’s voice clearer through His word, prayer and meditation. Rest is not an occasional pursuit or a luxury. As human beings, we NEED rest: daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. Rest is meant to be built into the rhythms of our lives, making it a priority in our schedules.
As you create your rhythms this year, consider putting rest as the first entry in your calendar! This might look like:
Daily: Taking time daily to slow down and spend time in relationship with God. Schedule and guard this like any other appointment.
Weekly: Sabbath rest is God’s weekly gift to us. Looking at the creation of Genesis, it was in His plan from the beginning. Start cultivating a day of rest to worship, play, relax and renew that works within your life rhythms.
Monthly or Quarterly: Prioritize one day a month to get away from the crowds, go offline, and practice thinking deeply to pray about your goals and priorities. This is a powerful time to evaluate and help you stay on course.
Yearly: Get away for a few days to a restful retreat. You may want to consider having a coach, mentor or spiritual director help you with a plan for this extended time.
As you plan and plot out 2025, don’t forget that rest needs to be scheduled too. It’s a lifegiving essential for every wholehearted leader.