To Increase Motivation- Rest, Renew and Sharpen the Saw

We slog and plod. We live, breathe, work, sleep, eat and play. We live lives that are revolved around our routines. We are creatures of habit. We live automatically. Are we growing, renewing being renewed? Sharpening the saw, renewal, self renewal, revival, restoration, revitalization.. name it what you will. There must be latency before growth, dullness before vision, reaching within before reaching without. It is the prerequisite to flashes of inspirations, ideas and changes, motivation, persistence and ultimately reaching your dreams.

"All human systems require continuous renewal. They rigidify the get stiff in the joints.

They forget what they cared about. The forces against it are nostalgia and the enormous appeal of having things the way they have always been, appeals to a supposedly happy past. But we've got to move on. " - John Gardner

There is a part that resist change. We are creatures of habit. But yet there is a part of us that longs for more, - excitement, thrill, adventure, enthusiasm, joy, direction in living. And this is what the process of renewal brings about. Decay or renew. Die or live.

Steven Covey in his 7 habits, says the 7^th habit of sharpening the saw is the most important. The analogy is that of a man who has been trying to saw down a tree for several hours. An onlooker asks him what he doesn't take a break for a few minutes so he can sharpen his saw, the man replies" I'm too busy sawing."

Is it any wonder then that we suffer from burnout?

Human beings thrive on both stability and variety. When we value stability, Boredom, rigidity, sets in if we carry on without rest, without thinking for long. We are meant to grow, to change, to adapt, to innovate, to reinvent. This is the beauty and magic of living, of being alive.

There are several dimensions renewal- physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social. All are interrelated and interlinked in one way or another.

Physically- When we have been overworked, taking a physical ( and mental) break off for a few days can do wonders. Our bodies are the machinery, the vehicle from which we live, breathe and function. Rest is important. Diet and proper hydration is important.

Exercise is equally important and is often what most of us don't do consistently because it isn't urgent. Aerobic condition, endurance, flexibility and strength training and consistency to achieve results. In terms of diet – are you taking a break from excessive or junk food ? Giving yourself the adequate nutrition for function

Mentally, - experiencing something new, a new skill, or something out of the ordinary. Stretching possibilities of the mind, doing mental exercises, allowing creativity, flexibility, lateral or even diagonal thinking. Taking a class and learning something new read or listen to an inspiring book or audio, podcast or website, attending an inspiring seminar. Simply having a heart to heart talk with a friend. These little events can trigger new ideas, keep us motivated and refreshed.

Keeping a journal of our thoughts, experiences, and insights is also beneficial to keep track of our progress and keep us amazed at the changes that have taken place. On another note, mental clarity is achieved better also by keeping organized and decluttered. Physical clutter leads to mental clutter. Organize, prioritise, and get tings done.

Emotionally - Have we stored trash that we need to discard? Or have we become so rigid in in our emotional response that we forget or do not know how to love, to feel, to experience joy, exhilaration and other positive emotions again? Are there unresolved hurts? Is there joy within that we need to share but have found no outlet?

Meditating, journaling, praying, forgiving and simply talking it out is therapeutic. It is a form of letting go of blockages and allowing the space to redefine your emotions, and allowing those emotions that you want into your life.

Spiritually - The spiritual dimension is your core, your center, your commitment to your value system. This is an important area that if we neglect, leads to a feeling of meaningless, lack of purpose, restlessness, and eventually frustration.

A personal mission statement clarifies and defines your purpose of who you are what you are, where you are going. Simply reviewing or writing this helps us to get on track with your live, igniting purpose and passion. This is the stuff of which dreams are made, visions are created and put into reality

Socially- Relationships count. Besides having a relationship with the most important person, yourself, having principle-centered, value-based relationships are important both in our personal, social and even business dimension.

Family, friends, colleagues, people we haven't met. Making new friends. Adding value. Touching. Satisfying emotional and personal lives. It can be said that there is no such thing as a stranger. There are only friends we haven't met.

The beauty is that all the aspects above synergize and work together to create a more powerful effect of renewal and revitalization.

Remember to sharpen your saw- physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and socially. Take your break.

Reach into yourself.

Dream. Think. Evaluate. Rejuvenate.

Regularly.

Even taking a few minutes break from what you are doing, to reflect, relax, or do something different does wonders.

Even 5 minutes in after every 30-45 minutes- to take a break.

Make it a habit to rest and recreate.

In both short spurts and longer periods.

It is vital.

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