As Global Advising Week and the spring semester wrap up, we want to take a moment to recognize that everyone deserves rest. While we know that every advisor, mentor, and staff member works hard, we also want to remind you that rest is not something you have to earn. In our interactions with students, we often share this sentiment, but with increasing demands, expanding workloads, and the responsibility we carry in supporting our students, it can be challenging to incorporate rest into our own practice.
In this short article, we highlight a few ways to encourage you to rest in the way that best suits you based on the seven types of rest according to this article by the American Psychological Association, keeping in mind that rest is not prescriptive. It’s not one-size-fits-all. Consider listening to your mind and body and leaning into what you need rather than what you feel you should need or what you think works for others.
1. Physical Rest
- Moments of stepping away from the desk—even briefly between appointments
- Small posture resets (rolling shoulders, unclenching jaw, adjusting your chair)
- Letting your eyes rest somewhere other than a screen
- Slowing your pace for a minute instead of moving quickly to the next thing
- Ending the day with a ritual that signals “work is done,” such as closing your laptop with intention, changing locations (even just rooms), or listening to a specific song that signals transitions
2. Mental Rest
- Brief pauses between appointments or meetings where nothing new is taken in
- Writing things down to move them out of your head in a notebook, journal, or post it-notes—without needing to filter or refine
- Letting some tasks stay “good enough” rather than perfect such as sending an email once it’s clear and complete, or leaving a task for tomorrow after noting it down
- Leaning on familiar language, templates, or routines to reduce decision fatigue
- Allowing a moment of not thinking ahead to the next conversation
3. Sensory Rest
- Lowering volume of screens, notifications, or background noise
- Adjusting one thing when the environment feels overstimulating like adjusting your posture, dimming screen brightness, or clearing visible clutter
- Letting your gaze soften instead of focusing intensely
- Creating small pockets of quiet, even in a busy space
- Allow moments of mindfulness like noticing your breath or feeling your feet pressed into the ground. These moments of mindfully paying attention to your surroundings can offer a calming moment.
4. Creative Rest
- Encountering something that isn’t asking anything from you like listening to music without multitasking or reading something light or unrelated to your work
- Letting your mind wander without needing to solve anything
- Allowing ideas or inspiration to exist without turning them into urgent tasks
- Shifting environments, even slightly, to interrupt routine like moving to a new room for a meeting
- Exploring something you’re curious about just because it interests you
5. Emotional Rest
- Acknowledging your reactions in the moment—for example, noticing “that was a heavy conversation” or “I feel drained after that meeting” without needing to push past them immediately
- Letting some conversations end without continuing to process them all day such as choosing not to revisit every detail mentally and to carry difficult interactions into your personal time
- Noticing the difference between supporting someone and carrying their emotions beyond the interaction
- Giving yourself permission to show up as you are (not always energetic, patient, or “on”) in spaces where it’s safe to do so.
- Allowing feelings to remain unresolved when needed, such as saying “I’ll come back to it later” instead of forcing clarity or closure right away
6. Social Rest
- Reconnect with people outside of work who feel grounding
- Sitting in a shared physical space or working alongside someone on Zoom (co-working) while both of you work independently
- Letting some invitations or conversations pass when energy is low such as declining plans or not responding immediately to non-urgent messages
- Allowing space for moments of being alone that feel neutral or steady, rather than something that needs to be filled
- Prioritizing interactions where you don’t have to be “on,” perform, or take the lead
7. Spiritual Rest
- Small moments of remembering and reflection on why the work matters (even if briefly)
- Noticing the impact in ordinary interactions that feel meaningful to you like a student saying “thank you,” a visible sense of relief in someone, or small signs of progress
- Engaging in a brief grounding or reflective practice that connects you to your personal beliefs or practices
- Pausing long enough to feel present and to reflect, even for a few seconds
- Recognizing that meaning can come from simply showing up and valuing presence, consistency, and care even when outcomes aren’t immediate or visible
We want to acknowledge that choosing to rest is not easy for all of us. In student-facing roles, it can be especially difficult to justify self-care due to internal expectations, deadlines, and the ongoing demands of supporting students. We also recognize that experiences can differ across schools, teams, and roles, which can influence how and when rest feels possible.
For many, this can look like extending workdays, responding to emails after hours, or using breaks to catch up, and these patterns often reflect a strong sense of care we carry for our roles and responsibilities. Even so, small opportunities to rest can be meaningful and, in many ways, can be seen as acts of self-compassion which is the same kind of care that we encourage our students to practice.
Rest is also quietly influential. The moments we take to pause, step away, or create space for ourselves can shape what feels possible for others. Choosing to rest can help shift how it is perceived by those around us, creating a sense of permission that makes it easier for others to do the same without guilt or hesitation. In this way, making space for rest can help normalize it—not only for ourselves, but for our colleagues, our teams, and the students we support.
Finally, we want to invite you to consider what rest might look like for you, in whatever ways feel possible, and to remember that it is not something you ever have to earn.