Rest is crucial to performance.
Here is how to stop feeling guilty about taking a break.
I can’t get over the feeling of being guilty for needing rest…because there is so much to do.
Step 1: Reframe Your Guilt
Think of guilt as a driving emotion INSTEAD OF a halting emotion.
The guilt is an indicator something needs to get done.
It’s your body trying to tell you to MOVE!
So you’ve gotta ask yourself:
What is the thing that I’m guilty about?”
Trust me when I say this:
In that guilt, there IS an answer.
Ask yourself:
What am I trying to Move towards?
Step 2: Create a CLEAR standard for completition
If you don’t know WHEN you are done with something, then the guilt machine will always keep running.
If you are feeling guilty about not being productive:
Are you sure you know WHEN you are productive?
After all in the word productive is the root of the word: PRODUCE!
I know for me—just knowing WHAT to produce gives me a place to put my guilt.
I don’t want to live in a place of guilt.
I simply want to use my guilt to produce.
Do the same.
Set a clear standard for the task you do.
Having “too much to do” is a sign of mental inefficiency.
Clear standards give a clear target to get REMOVE the guilt.
Guilt Protocol
Try this protocol on for size:
- Pick 1 thing that you are feeling guilty about. (Take less than 30 seconds.)
- Ask yourself: What am I trying to move towards when I feel guilty about this? What action am I trying to take? What is the outcome I want?
- List the answers down on a piece of paper.
- Walk away from the piece of paper.
- Come back in 15 minutes. Revisit your answers.
- Write an action plan to complete the thing you are feeling guilty about.
- Execute on said plan.
- Watch the guilt dissapate.