Moving Beyond Rest to Restoration

When I was going through burnout, I felt so stuck and tired and got to the point where I just couldn’t keep going. I needed rest… lots of it. I took time off work to refuel and replenish, but eventually, I needed to begin my own restoration.

Rest is necessary when we are pushed to our limits, but I wanted something to keep me busy without taking on my workload after a while. I knew it would help my mental health to be productive in a new way, without the stresses and pressures of work. I wanted to do something engaging and brought me joy.

Find a restorative niche

So during this time of burnout, I rediscovered my love of woodworking. I had enjoyed it as a high school student, but my adult life had not left me with any time or energy to pursue this hobby.

We were in the course of building a house and I found some old gumtrees which prompted me to create something with them.

I YouTubed some instructions, bought some second-hand tools and got to work. I discovered that I could make some beautiful pieces. Later, I stumbled across some silky oak (great for fine furniture) and made a table.

When we are dealing with burnout, with emotional depletion, there is often a loss of creativity. So, it was a joy to reinvent me by resting, replenishing, and restoring through learning new skills while engaging in something creative.

Reflection Questions:

• What is something restorative you can do for yourself this week?
• Who can you ask to help you build your resilience up?