Prescription for peace

Make sure you rest enough

Just as you might take note of the number of hours of sleep you get, you should count how many hours of rest you get. The people with the highest level of wellbeing in the Rest Test were resting between five and six hours a day.

Pick the right ingredients

Take a break from other people, allow your mind to wander, be distracted from your worries and give yourself permission not to achieve anything in particular.

Give yourself permission to rest

Allow yourself a break when you’re tired. If you can arrange to start the day with a rest, otherwise known as a lie-in, then do.

When you feel stressed, prescribe yourself 15 minutes of your favourite restful activity

Is there and activity which instantly transports you away from worries? Whether it’s reading, music, pottering in the garden… find something that calms you and make time for it.

Keep an eye out for resting when you don’t realise it

Appreciate those spare moments. Yes, potter if you want or do nothing in particular – but appreciate the restful nature of that pottering and loafing. Note it, value it.

Reframe your wasted time as rest

Instead of spending those ten minutes inbetween meetings checking emails, do nothing or go for a stroll.

Stop fetishising busyness

Drop activities you are too busy to fit in – and accept your to-do list will never end.

Just say no

Don’t feel bad about turning down invitations so you can have time to yourself.

Put breaks in your diary as well as appointments

Schedule some downtime and take a lunch break instead of eating at your desk. It will increase your productivity.

Add small, restful moments to your life

Have a bath instead of a shower, return to your school days and daydream and doodle.

Create a box of rest

A book of short stories, a music play list, running shoes or a crochet hook… whatever your restful activity, having a box to pull out might be the way to make time for it.