Like you, I live a very busy life. Kids, two jobs and a budding freelance business all keep me going 18 hours a day. Reflux issues caused me to give up caffeine two months ago. So now I’m doing it on my own. I’m on the run day in and day out. And I’m learning how to rest on the run.
It’s a skill I learned from distance running. I take a minute to slow my pace and to allow my heart rate to drop. It can be on a flat surface or on a downhill stretch. I take deep breaths and fill my lungs. I think of sitting on a blanket in Cades Cove and looking at the snowcapped hills surrounding me. And then I pick up my pace yet again. When I ran the Marine Corps Marathon, I did a modified version of this — I walked one minute every mile. I finished the race remarkably strong (even through my legs decided to cramp.)
I don’t take a lunch. I don’t take breaks. But I do find five minutes every couple of hours to close my eyes and take deep belly breaths. I calm myself and reflect on my day.
I’ll rest when I die. In the meantime, I’ll find ways to steal a moment of peace here and there. It’s the art of resting while on the run.
Great idea thanks for sharing this technique.