Work Hard, Play Hard…Rest Hard.

The well-known phrase lived by college students, corporate employees, and hustlers emerged as a motto that glorified productivity and encouraged a steady work-life balance. However, the meaning of “Work Hard, Play Hard” has shifted over recent years when the realization came to light that if we are always playing as much as we are working, we are rarely resting.

The initial phrase was a suggestion for life balance, not the neglect of leisure, but the more it was adapted into people's lives, the sooner the interpretation of the phrase became foggy. As a collective, we admired the hustler mentality and ability to not only succeed in school but also have strong involvement in clubs, jobs, sports, and relationships. When we aren't spending our time giving attention to what we feel we are “required” to get done, we are spending it on all we want to get done. The catcher is that sometimes we don't need to try to do all that we want in life at once. That's what leads to burnout and losing enjoyment in the “play” aspect.

All to say, it is much easier said than done. I think the hardest part is knowing when to work, when to play, and when to rest. Am I being lazy or am I truly tired? Do I need to push myself a bit right now to reach my goals, or can I afford to wait until another time?

IT’S HARD! This is especially true when an adverse experience forces you to re-evaluate your priorities. When I started my own recovery it made me challenge my perfectionism, and I had to consider whether I was sacrificing my joy by trying to go above and beyond in every part of my life. At the same time, I didn't want to swing too far in the other direction and excuse not doing my work or putting extra effort into other interests because my anxiety convinced me I couldn't handle it. It is unrealistic to never be anxious or overwhelmed because we grow from pushing ourselves past comfort, but it also takes self-awareness to know when the stress can be beaten by ambition and when it is a sign of exhaustion.

What To Do? Put a spin on it. You have every right to be proud of yourself for being a hustler, AND you have every right to take a break. When you give your mind and soul time to recharge, you are more likely to produce quality work and get tasks done quicker because the desire to do so is there. I may be on a go-go-go schedule during the weekdays but then I'll try my best to make time to step away from the to-do’s and once my version of rest is over, I'm ready, and sometimes look forward to getting back to the hustle. There are days when I could absolutely work harder or choose to rest harder, but listening to your gut and trusting your capabilities is helpful in deciding which aspect of this holy trinity you should follow.

My roommates and I often joke that we are on our "geriatric shit" because we rarely go out on the weekend and love our early nights in. That is our version of rest though. Rest doesn't always have to mean sleeping in bed or binge-watching TV all day. It can mean going on a walk, having a game night with friends, reading a comforting book, or anything else that brings you peace. There is pressure to take the weekends to party and drink and go to big events, but the norm doesn't have to be the expectation. Sometimes our play and rest are one and the same, and other times it is simply rest that we deserve. To be so real, it is a Saturday afternoon and I'm on the couch watching Frozen with my friends. We designated time to work hard during other parts of the day and we played hard last night, but now it’s time to rest.

There is no need to feel bad for not working all the time or having constant plans, but it is still important to listen to your body and address the reason why you need rest. If exhaustion feels constant and ongoing, it may be worth talking to someone or reflecting on what has been playing on the emotions. Reaching goals takes work but not at the expense of losing motivation and satisfaction. So next time you feel the pressure to do more than you are, remember that it’s fulfilling to work hard and play hard, but it won't be sustainable unless you rest hard too.

Talk soon,

Sophia <3