currently, leo babauta is hosting our guest post at zen habits titled “the lost practice of resting one day each week.” check it out. it is a practice that our family has worked hard to incorporate into our lives and never regret. we are confident that your family would benefit from it too.
if you are visiting becoming minimalist from zenhabits, welcome.
we used to be a typical, suburban family of four living in vermont until a conversation with our neighbors two years ago turned us on to the simple lifestyle of minimalism. since then, we have encouraged hundreds of thousands of families around the world to give simplicity and minimalism a chance.
to get a flavor for the blog, be sure to check out some of our most popular posts:
- the unmistakable freedom of contentment and how to achieve it
- find a rational minimalism that works for you
- when you’re a minimalist but your partner isn’t
in february, we just released a new e-book: simplify. 7 guiding principles to help anyone declutter their home and life. the book lays out the 7 most important lessons that we have learned during our journey towards minimalism. it is a rational approach to minimalism designed to make the principles of simplicity attractive to the masses. it runs $9.95. and we think you’ll enjoy it.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post. Believe it or not, some of us actually do rest one day each week … literally.
Observant Jews spend Friday night and Saturday refraining from work, watching TV, driving, talking on the phone, using the computer and more, instead spending time with family, going to shul, learning, eating and resting.
I didn’t grow up practicing this way, but as I grew into it, I realized how big of an effect it actually has on the way you live your life. It’s that one day per week (every week) where you know you can get into bed early, you don’t have to worry about what’s happening at the office, and you focus on the important things in life: your family and your values.
It’s not for everyone, but it certainly does a lot of positive things for you.
(PS – when you unplug for that one day per week, you also realize how unimportant some of the little things that bug you day to day are — the things that seem important at the time, but in perspective, rarely are. This is worth it by itself.)
Hey—besides Jews. Seventh Day Adventist rest on the sabbath in accordance to the old testament… and if you look up research on longetivity and quality of life in the WORLD… adventists are always in the conversation. I highly recommend folks to read Wayne Muller’s “Sabbath” http://www.amazon.com/Sabbath-Finding-Renewal-Delight-Lives/dp/0553380117
It has great ideas and exercises to integrate rest into your spiritual or work experience. Great stuff!
This is a good post, but what is rest exactly?
Lying in bed all day is ultimate rest. But not particularly appealing. Social events work for some but are draining for others. I’ve often wondered what to do on ‘rest’ days. I usually just read (read things unrelated to ‘work’ days if possible), or play computer games. Things that work the mind a little, but are not too strenuous.
You’re definitely talking to me in that post. I can barely spend a lunch break away from my desk without feeling guilty. Tell you what. I’ll take Sundays off work for a few weeks, and see how it goes. If it’s good enough for Da Vinci maybe it’s worth a try!
Hello from Australia! I’m a journalist writing about how to make life better. I have a column in the national weekend mag…and wrote about recreating a day of rest. I love when a theme pops up simultaneously!
Be well,
Sarah x
http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2010/03/sunday-life-in-which-i-quit-the-sunday-afternoon-email-catch-up-habit/
Fantastic post. I find it far too easy to feel guilty for any time not spent on BirdBreath. It totally consumes me, and in ways, (thanks to this post) not in my best interest.
Thanks!!
Robert
Congrats on the guest post at Zen Habits! I completely agree with your article and have tried to apply the idea to my own life as much as possible. It’s amazing how much more productive I am when I take the time to NOT be productive (if that makes any sense).
I’m seventh-day adventist myself and can attest to the wonderful blessings of practicing the Sabbath. As noted above, there are various studies and books out there, namely “The Blue Zone,” that attest to the longevity of adventists as a people group because they seek simple lifestyles, eat healthy, and practice the Sabbath. Everyone should try it from Fri sunset to Sat. sunset. Amazing. Beautiful.
Less is more! The less baggage we bring into our lives the less complicated it is. I love the angle that you are sharing here!