Do You Shut Down?
I read in a book recently that you should never rest during the day. The author said that you rest on the Sabbath, sleep at night but otherwise the days were meant for work. If this is true then I am in big trouble, big trouble indeed.
I need my rest time every day. Around 2:00 when school is finished and the little darlings are doing their own work quietly, lunch is cleaned up and the washing machine is whirring with the 6th load of the day….I go in my bedroom and shut the door (we say shut here in Texas). I rest. I do it every day rain or shine. I’m like a mailman that way…..nothing stops me from the quest of sitting down for about an hour and shutting everything off (there I go saying shut again). Sometimes I read blogs, sometimes I take a nap, sometimes I just sit in my recliner, stare at the walls and mutter gibberish.
I often have Levi with me. I’ve taught him to respect Mommy rest time and play quietly by himself. He has seen what happens if you dare to interrupt Mommy when she’s shut down. Let’s just say he only tried it once.
After my little rest I am up and running again. I’m back to dinner plans and etsy orders and emails. We get the house all picked up and life gets moving again.
I’ve always needed a nap. Even in high school I would take a short nap when I got home. I’ve always needed time to shut everything down in the middle of the day (now I’m just saying shut for the fun of it). We are all different and I must say….a little rest in the middle of the day does me a world of good.
I’m curious, do you rest during the day?
Oh, thank heavens for power naps. I’m right there with ya, only I’m on an air mattress until after Labor Day.
I have a 5 year old, 3 year old and a 5 week old. I will rest every chance I get! 🙂
That is so funny that you would blog about this today because I was just telling my husband that a little rest each day in the middle of the day is actually good for you. I took a short siesta around 1:00. It was only 15 mins. but I woke up refreshed and ready to finish the day. Usually I have the kids all go in a room and my oldest will do a lapbook with them while I have an hour to myself. I either prepare school for the next day or read and reply to emails and that sort of thing. I definitely need that time.
Three Cheers for naps. Hip hip Horray! Hip hip Hooray! Hip hip Hooray! I know I’m weird!
You practically described my mom’s schedule after lunch. And she says shut too! LOL!
Many Blessings!
Kristiana
I definitely rest. Sometimes an actual nap, sometimes just vegging out in front of the computer. I need down time. And I agree, it’s quite restorative. Good for you taking care of yourself in the way you know works best for you.
I don’t nap every day. There’s hardly anything I do every day. I crave, need, long for any type of schedule. I make schedules, spending loads of time creating posters or flip card reminders. They last a month before something throws the whole thing off. It has to get better… I think I need a nap.
I took a little STAYcation last week and napped every afternoon for about an hour! It was heavenly and the best part of my vacation. I’ve always needed a LOT of sleep (8-10 hours is good) and I usually get in a nap on weekends, but work sure does interfere with my nap time. Although the week prior to my vacation, I totally fell asleep after lunch in front of the computer one day…bonked my head on the screen (which woke me up dang it.)
Nap on Sister! I’m there in spirit.
Having fibromylgia means always being tired so I have to get a nap in when I can. I think the info you received about always working except on the sabbath is outdated. I am wondering if that wasn’t the thought back before electricity when people didn’t work 14 hours a day but only during the daylight hours.
I wish I didnt need to. I wish I could perform like the book you are reading and go, go, go but every day around 3pm my body just stops. It’s all I can do to get on my laptop and pin (pinterest). I would much prefer to nap, but it’s not something I can do yet with my guys (at least not for more than a few moments). They know it’s my time to rest & recharge. They know this because that is what I tell them every time they ask me to draw another dinosaur or get something that is right in front of their faces or play another game. It’s just my time. to do nothing. It feels so much better knowing I am not the only one, some times I am ridden with guilt because of it. It would be such a perfect time for one more lesson, since the kids are still quiet and cooperative but my body just won’t do what my mind is asking it to do.
I practically live for it naps/rest time…I can’t imagine not resting in the middle of the day – crazy people…
In my house it’s the boys who go in their rooms and shut the door. I LOVE rest time. It’s my little hour and a half in the middle of the day with no noise and interruption. I do my best to work, but half the time my body just shuts down and I’m nodding at the computer.
Ummm…yes!
I take a little siesta every.single.day.
Does a mama good!
Oh my goodness YES I “rest” during the day! Nearly every day for an hour. General practice is read for 20 minutes; sleep for 20-30. Once the children were older (after we moved to SC) just before I’d go in to my room and SHUT the door, I’d holler , “Savages, be quiet! I’m NAPPING” which was one of the youngest 2 girls favorite quote from Susan Wise Bauer’s Story of the World volume 1. All four of the children can still quote it 🙂
I have tried to have naps when my babies were lttle,but I simply cannot fall asleep.My brain just keeps going and going and going.Like the energizer bunny.Just found your blog and have a read a few posts and laughed alot already.