Episode 4: You Don't Need to Earn Rest

Many helping professionals have been taught to view rest as something they earn after the work is done.

After the clients.
After the paperwork.
After the meetings.
After everyone else's needs have been met.

But what if rest isn't a reward for the work?

What if rest is actually part of the work?

In this episode of Helping from the Inside Out, Rosa Jones explores why rest is essential for those who spend their lives caring for others and why pushing through exhaustion may be doing more harm than good.

Whether you're a counselor, healthcare worker, educator, first responder, clergy member, caregiver, or helping professional of any kind, this episode offers a simple but powerful reminder:

Rest is not a reward. Rest is a part of the work.

Watch the episode above or listen on your favorite podcast platform.

Episode Transcript

Welcome to Helping from the Inside Out, a weekly moment of encouragement for human services and healthcare professionals. If your work is to care for others, this space is for you. Each week, we offer a short reminder to protect your well-being so you can keep serving with strength. This podcast is brought to you by Freedom Support Services, where our vision is to heal people who heal the world. In the creation story,

What did God do on the seventh day? He rested. Then he said, It is finished. You know why? Because rest is a part of the work. Rest isn't something that we earn after helping people. Rest isn't something that we only do after we finish the teaching, the serving, and the fixing. Rest is a part of the work.

And in the creation story, rest was intentionally built into the process. It's almost like God was reminding us that the work is actually not complete until we rest. Why? Because work requires energy. And the work that you do can only be done when you are rested. You're only at your best when you rest. So the cycle is work, rest, repeat.

Your mind needs rest. Your body needs rest. Your emotions need rest. You were designed that way. I want you to think about it. The general recommendation is that most people get eight hours of sleep a night, sleeping a third of your day away, resting a third of your day. That leaves another eight hours for work and another eight hours for everything else. Listen, we're built that way. We're built to rest. Rest is not laziness.

Rest is maintenance. Rest is preparation and rest is wisdom. So do yourself a favor. The next time you feel tired physically, emotionally, mentally, or any kind of other Ellie, I just want you to pause for a moment and remind yourself it must be time to rest as a part of this work.

Because if your body keeps asking for rest, maybe it's not failing you. Maybe it's just trying to save you. Did this bless your life? I want you to share this with another helper or healer who needs to remember that rest is a part of the work. Thank you so much for listening today. If this has helped you, be sure to hit the subscribe button wherever you're watching or listening. Share this with another healer or helper who gives so much to others.

Visit us at www.myfreedoms.com/podcast for more resources. Until next time, keep helping from the inside out.

Key Takeaway:

"If your body keeps asking for rest, maybe it's not failing you. Maybe it's trying to save you."