Over the years, I've returned to writer and artist Austin Kleon’s wisdom more times than I can count. His ability to distill creativity into actionable steps has been an inspiration, a compass, and sometimes even a roadmap. The piece below, "Rest like an Artist” is directly inspired by Kleon’s “Read like an Artist” and “Steal like an Artist”. The essential question is: How can we rest like creatives?
Here is my take:
Take a micro-break: Even the busiest days can be full of intentional moments of pause. Take a moment outside in the sunshine. Spend two minutes technology-free. Dance through a favorite song. Already have some tiny breaks in the day? Celebrate those and keep it simple.
Stop pretending you can work nonstop. We are not machines. We are at our most creative, alive, productive, and joyful when we work and rest as two parts of a whole.
Do nothing sometimes: The myth is that doing nothing is idle, wasted time. A break to stare out the window, lie in the grass, or lounge on the couch is precisely what our magic brains need to process, make connections, and get creative.
Adventure is a kind of rest: Embrace the 10-minute mini-adventure around the block, the 30-minute adventure to your local library, or the big adventure of a day, a week, or (we can dream!) a month.
Practice saying, “rest isn't optional.” Our bodies, minds, and spirits suffer when we don’t rest. When we do, we can, as the poet David Whyte shares, be "... ready for the world but not held hostage by it, rested we care again for the right things and the right people in the right way. In rest, we reestablish the goals that make us more generous, more courageous, more of an invitation…”
The creative process is rest. Seek out the creative processes that feel like a breath of fresh air. They might not be the ones you're most skilled at! Experiment with paint, clay, wood, and charcoal. Relish in the process and let go of the product.
Retreat: Poets, sages, and painters have often headed to the hills to retreat and think. Take a weekend away from daily life to retreat, play, and be. Take a nap while you're there!
Share your rest; Rest with others (nap date!). Tell the world you are resting (OOO), take photos of naps; tell the world it's ok for them to rest too. You're doing everyone else a solid, and words make worlds- so you might start believing it.
Learn about resting: Read what poets, thinkers, and artists have been saying about resting. They disagree - and that's great. Notice what calls you.
Give yourself the advice you would share with a loved one: Give yourself permission to rest like you would advise a person you love most in the world: You need it. You deserve it. When you rest, you are there for others. When you rest, you can be there for yourself.
A long-term bonus:
Take a sabbatical: Life is a long journey. Plan a significant retreat every 7 years.
In the days and weeks ahead, prioritize rest in achievable ways. Experiment. Double down on what works for you. Share your practices so we can learn from you.
This piece is directly inspired by the artist and writer Austin Kleon; especially “Steal like an Artist” and “Read like an Artist” . Check out his work.
Josh Feldman runs a laboratory for rest called R&R. He watercolors on zoom calls and grows a lot of garlic.