It’s a bit of an unlikely leap. I’m taking a concept that germinated in my brain while reading a book called Tired as F*ck and applying it to Biblical principles. But that’s how God works.
As I was reading the aforementioned book (please don’t tell my parents, they would be scandalized; not about reading the Bible, the other one) I couldn’t stop thinking about the somewhat nebulous concept of “rest”. The author – Caroline Dooner – speaks at length about burnout. She suggests this deep fatigue coincides with a culturally perpetuated focus on productivity. Work harder. Do more. It’s the only way to success and happiness!
Right?
A day after I finished the book, and still ruminating on her message, it hit me like a lightning bolt – the Bible talks about this very topic and mandates regular periods of rest. The concept of Sabbath (for modern Christians, this is typically observed on Sunday as a time devoted to rest and worship) shows up in the Ten Commandments alongside the likes of Don’t steal and Don’t kill people. From this we can conclude that rest is important to God. In fact, we don’t even get through the thirty-fourth verse in the entire Bible without the mention of taking a day off!
So why does prolonged rest – I’m not talking about sleeping in on the occasional Saturday morning – make me feel guilty?
Thankfully there is another Sabbath described in the Bible, a year-long sabbatical. (If you work in academia, you’re well acquainted with this term and you can thank the good Lord – and the Old Testament book of Leviticus – for your year off from teaching responsibilities.)
It’s called shmita which can be translated as release. Shmita is an exhale for the land and for the people; a halt in production with the express purpose of creating a better long-term harvest.
Leviticus 25: 3-4 says the following: For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.
I don’t live in ancient Israel – and quite enjoy my washing machine and dishwasher, thank you very much – but it felt like divine intervention to have this message come to me last week. It seemed like God Himself was giving me permission to rest. (To be fair, I think He’s been giving me permission for a long time and I’ve been too busy to hear Him.)
At least I’m listening now!
What will this look like practically?
I don’t know. But I know I’m tired. And I’m tired of feeling guilty about feeling tired. I don’t have to earn the right to rest. Burnout is not a competition where we have to compare test scores to get awarded a spot on the Recovery Team. I can sense it’s time to focus less on production and more on restoration.
I unknowingly opened the door to this Year of Rest by stepping back from one of my working roles. I will maintain my two other paid positions. I will not be sitting on the couch eating Doritos and watching soap operas all day. I will still regularly be a solo parent. I will do laundry and make meals. Life will go on. But I want to move more slowly. Exercise more intuitively. Sleep more. Nap. Bake (I’ve stopped baking in recent years and think most of it stems from overloaded neural circuits). Sit and read a book during daylight hours when it strikes my fancy and my work tasks are complete. (Maybe even sometimes when my work tasks aren’t complete.) Focus more on the here and now versus working for the future.
During a year of Biblical shmita you could harvest anything that grew naturally. Shmita was the ultimate act of faith – whatever the land produced you would recognize as having been provided by God since you were no longer playing an active role in planting and pruning. In another interesting twist, the Bible prohibits efficient [how I love to be efficient] harvesting during shmita; no sickle, no gathering extra grain to sell for profit. Simply plucking – by hand – what was needed for immediate consumption by your family.
This is not me launching some radical plan to eat only what I can forage from my backyard. THERE WILL BE TRIPS TO THE SUPERMARKET DURING MY SHMITA. And I will admit this decision feels self-indulgent in a world that tells us to hustle faster, produce more, and just generally be better – whatever “better” means.
But it’s time to let my field go fallow. The result should – according to both horticultural science and the Bible – include years of bumper crops ahead. A sabbatical for the land makes the earth more fertile (again, I’m not taking this too literally – two kids is enough…some days more than enough).
Now I’m going to tell a short story I read a few weeks ago in a book on hurry and rest. I’m paraphrasing from a passage in Springs in the Valley by Lettie Cowman.
Deep in the heart of Africa, an explorer sets out on a long trek. He hires some local tribesmen to transport his supplies. The first day, the explorer marches rapidly and the group makes it far into the jungle. They stop to camp for the night only when exhaustion and hunger overcome them. The explorer has hopes for a speedy journey and, after a fitful night of sleep, he wakes tired but anxious to continue toward his destination at a relentless pace. When he exits his tent ready to hike, he finds all the men are refusing to move from their place by the campfire. Exasperated, he begs them to get up, offering to pay double if only they will consent to resuming their journey. He’s also perplexed – they know where they are going and the goal is to get there as quickly as possible. Why the hold up? Through a translator he questions them about their strange behavior. Their answer: we traveled too far and too quickly the first day. Now we must wait for our souls to catch up with our bodies”.
Cowman summarizes: they knew what they needed to restore life’s balance; too often we do not. Our souls need to catch up with our bodies.
I had already prepared my list of goals for 2024 and I think I’m going to tear them up and go goalless in 2024. *Gasp* It has been far more than seven years since I really rested and it’s time to embrace the fact my worth does not come from my productivity. This isn’t about weakness, this is about being a human and needing to step back long enough to see that God’s got this. I have the opportunity to pull back (and yes I recognize that is not something everyone can do either financially or logistically); instead of feeling guilty over this privilege, I’m going to embrace it and say Thank you God for gifting me this opportunity to slow down.
Let the sabbatical begin!
Header photo by Erik-Jan Leusink on Unsplash
Any suggestions about how I can make the most of my “shmita”? How can I be intentional about rejuvenating both my body and soul? General thoughts? I’m still reflecting on what this will look like and welcome any and all feedback!
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Sophie
I love this Elisabeth, what a great plan for 2024. I’ve been feeling this way too lately, 2023 I took on too much at work, given my home commitments, and spent much of the year on the verge of burnout. I’ve decided my word for 2024 will be Care – self care, care for family and friends, care for our garden, in a kind and non-productive way. I suspect productivity will happen along the way, but in a more sustainable and gentle way. Look forward to hearing how your year of sabbatical goes!
Elisabeth
Care – what a wonderful word that ties in so well with a theme of rest and rejuvenation.
I know productivity will still happen on my end, but hopefully it will be more of a happy byproduct than a singular focus?
J
Much like an academic sabbatical, which is usually given so professors can do research, yours will still be full – 2 jobs, parenting, all of that. Still, I love this gentle step-back for you. I’ve only been reading your posts for the last year, but I do think you generally have a lot on your plate (as do SO MANY PEOPLE) and I hope that this lessening of tasks gives you a chance to slow down a bit and breathe. You absolutely deserve that.
Elisabeth
Yes! Professors are still very busy during a sabbatical, but it’s time to focus on a subject – for me, hopefully that subject will be rest.
Katie
I love this, Elisabeth! I have also wrestled with the ideas of yearly goals and if that’s something I’m really interested in… particularly when I read Matthew 6. I do love planners and pretty stationary, though! When I look back on this year, there were SO many good (and also hard) things that were no where on my radar at the beginning of 2023! There is literally no way I could’ve predicted or planned for these things, but I’m glad I was open to them!
My EMDR therapist just reminded me that God literally gave us bodies (he could’ve just made us spirits) to communicate limits to us. I *need* to start paying attention to when my nervous system is clearly overwhelmed instead of trying to crawl through it. Gah! Thank you for this post– I will be returning to it as I reflect on this year and think about the next. <3
Elisabeth
Okay this comment RESONATED, Katie (I just sent you an e-mail!)
I will still be using a planner, but hopefully in some different ways!
Your point about not being able to foresee issues hit me right between the eyes. Yes! It’s impossible to predict what a single day will bring. I feel like taking time to rest will also better allow me to deal with the regular ups and downs of life.
Your comment about bodies reminds me of perhaps my favourite verse in the entire Bible (2 Corinthians 4:7 – But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.)
“I *need* to start paying attention to when my nervous system is clearly overwhelmed instead of trying to crawl through it.” And this. YES! We have these feedback systems for a reason and I have been overriding mine for a long time. Therapy is helping to deal with things that needed dealing with, but also I just need to be more gentle about saying No to commitments and to accepting that I am introverted with relatively low energy. That’s HOW God made me and I can still do great things for Him within those limits…
Grateful Kae
This sounds really wonderful. I also am not sure exactly HOW I would implement that, but the concept of it sounds perfect. I am looking forward to seeing what you choose to do.
I agree with J that you have a lot on your plate- between work and kids, but also you guys are an active family with lots of social events, outings, church events, sports, theater, etc, (all wonderful things! but, still…), plus some home renovations mixed in and that ongoing interpersonal issue you’ve referenced and John’s travel…
I feel like we similarly have a lot going on but can’t really wrap my head around how “slowing down” would look for me right now. If anything I feel like our life is kind of speeding up- perhaps with Ethan starting high school now, I feel a new sense of urgency. I feel like suddenly the “finish line” is in sight, both exciting and terrifying to me. I have a sense of wanting to “do it all” before it’s too late. This of course doesn’t help me to settle down or slow down. 🙂
Lovely post and ideas in it, Elisabeth! Really looking forward to reading more about this. 🙂 Happy Sunday!
Elisabeth
Yep – the next year is all going to be about me figuring our ways to turn concept —-> reality.
Suzanne
I loved reading this, Elisabeth. And I love this idea for you. I have no suggestions but your plans for baking and napping seem like soul feeding activities. I look forward to reading about your schmita!
Elisabeth
Well, I took a 2+ hour nap this afternoon and made boxed brownies with A. So off to a good start 🙂
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
This post wins a “Yes I agree with every word” and a “wow I learned stuff” award – I need to work on the name.
You have earned your year of rest and I hope that it includes some level of eating Doritos on the couch while watching soaps – at least a few days out of the year;-)
I never knew that I was so biblical, but I absolutely agree with the concept of taking time off. Yes I know I chickened out of quitting my job but I will walk my talk someday.
Elisabeth
There will definitely be Doritos involved. I’m kinda past the soap opera stage but maybe some reruns of Frasier and Hallmark Christmas movies?
SHU
You had me until no goals 🙂 just kidding! I love this for you. I am very interested to see how you can implement this in various spheres. I love the concept of sabbath or cyclical rest and would love to try some form of that for our family too.
(I would probably set a goal around it. Ha!!!)
Elisabeth
Ha! I am VERY goal focussed so I think not having specific annual goals listed will make me feel like a fish out of water but also…feels like the right move.
I’m also interested to see how I manage to implement this in various spheres – haha. I just backed out of a big volunteer commitment, took a 2+ hour nap this afternoon and baked brownies, so I’m starting with a bang <3
Ally Bean
I went goalless this year and while I am glad to have experienced my daily life in a more free/open way, I do think that next year I’ll write down and attend to a few specific goals. My advice is go where the road takes you, which is how I did the no goal thing. Also be prepared to find yourself at loose ends more than maybe normally you’d be. That part was kind of disconcerting for me.
Elisabeth
Thanks for the advice. And yes, I’m sure I will return to annual goals – but it feels good to head into 2024 with a blank slate and no set (even fun!) goals in place.
Nicole MacPherson
This is absolutely, 100% what you need. I am in full support of this! You are NOT what you accomplish, your worth has nothing to do with productivity, you are valuable and you do not have to earn a rest. You deserve one and I am so happy you are doing this. Going goalless is a really good plan and I think it’s what you need right now.
Elisabeth
<3 I knew you'd be head cheerleader for this!
NGS
I think this is a great plan! I spend a lot of time reading on the couch with my kitty, as you know, and I think it’s important to have time to yourself to do the things that regenerate you so you can be productive/useful/valuable when you need to be. That time to rest and rejuvenate is crucial.
Elisabeth
I don’t have the cuddly kitty, but I DO hope to spend more time on the couch and more time reading.
And YES – the end result (though I WON’T say it’s a goal of this rest year) is to be more productive/useful moving forward. A bit like putting on my own oxygen mask first. For years I’ve been putting on others (natural when you’re a parent)…but I’ve also been trying to do A LOT of things without enough oxygen.
Gah – I’m so excited for January 1st, though I’m already trying to view current life through the lens of this restful default state.
Shelly
This sounds lovely and really needed. I think the big thing is to sink into the worthiness of rest. You don’t need to justify that to anyone. There is so much pressure to always be moving and doing that not taking on guilt is important.
Jenny
GREAT post, Elisabeth, and great idea. I think any mom of young kids needs this, and any mom of young kids who also works outside the home REALLY needs this, and any mom of young kids who works outside the home and also does a lot of solo parenting really, really needs this. I know that it’s so much easier for me now that my kids are older (and I only have one kid at home.) Having a day off work on a Wednesday is amazing, and sometimes it gets filled up with appointments, but last Wednesday I sat in Barnes and Noble for a while drinking tea and reading magazines. I say “a while” because I never even looked at my watch once, which felt like such a luxury. I didn’t need to look because I knew I had plenty of time. That day was definitely a “reset” for me. Anyway… I can’t wait to see how you implement this concept in your own life!
Sarah
I wonder: will you be doing less, really? Or are you giving yourself permission to feel more satisfied with what you are doing? Is this an actual change in major habits or a reframe? Or both?
Elisabeth
Hmmm. Great questions! I DO think I will be doing less, yes. Functionally, having one less working role will be a shift. But I also think you’re right (or hope you’re right!) that this will also involve just giving myself permission to be satisfied with less. So I think the answer is both? Love this comment. So insightful and gives me lots to think about.
coco
It’s great to see that you acknowledge that you need a rest, not only physical but mentally. it would be great to see how you implement it as you are still doing a lot. Looking forward to hear more about it.
Personally, knowing that I have Friday’s optional to work, at least I know that I have 7am-2pm without any obligations regarding taking care of the family. that gives me assurance that I have the space to rest, truly, if I need it. Scheduling solo trips also help a lot to slowdown and listen to what I need, not what the family needs. I know these are all privileges that might not applicable to others, but I guess the concept can still be useful?
Elisabeth
I couldn’t action on this before now – so hopefully I can inspire others to find ways to implement more rest in and around their current life situation (which, for most, won’t likely be able to contain dramatic steps back).
Crystal Byers
I’m currently on what I’ve been calling a gap year, but goalless sabbatical/shmita—that’s good. I’m living in the moment, which might include Doritos on the couch (or maybe a frittata), and also taking a dance class.
P. S. Ally sent me.
P. P. S. “This is about being a human and needing to step back long enough to see that God’s got this.” Just wow.
Elisabeth
Welcome! Three cheers for gap years, shmitas and goalless sabbaticals <3
Ohh. A dance class sounds like a great gap year activity.
Sara
I don’t usually comment–but I found this seriously intriguing as I return to work tomorrow after an unexpected 6 week maternity leave. I’m a single mother to two tiny foster humans, and one of them arrived at my door very unexpectedly in August and 100% of any goals I thought I had for this year vanished. I work for a company that has the maternity benefit I’d never taken advantage of until now, and the last 6 weeks with this tiny, fragile babe has been the absolute best thing I’ve ever done. I wish more women talked about how it isn’t always possible to quit-the jobs, the kids, the calling–but rest can be prioritized amidst those things.
The last two years of working full-time and solo parenting children from hard places means I’ve set aside a lot of things I used to do when I was footloose and not so happily fancy free. I ran a marathon 11 days before my first kiddo arrived (and he’s still here sleeping down the hall), and now, I’m lucky if I run to the bathroom let alone for 3 hours on a Saturday. I have read a whopping 2 books this year, though I’m awake feeding a baby plenty hours of the night and day you would think I could have read hundreds.
But the truth is, I don’t miss training for a marathon or reading a dozen or more books, so much as I miss feeling like I can’t get off the capitalistic hamster wheel to love these people in front of me well the way I want to. But maybe this is just the tension in the season of small children–I don’t spend a lot of time watching other people on the internet because I don’t wear the same shoes they do…but I’ve been reading you since someone linked after you lost your blog, and have found your words to be some of the only reading I’m retreating to…
Elisabeth
Oh Sara, what a lovely comment. Thanks for sharing. Those sweet babes! What an exhausting – yet surely rewarding – journey you have been on.
Sometimes I wonder why I write here – I know it’s good for MY mental health to process things in writing, but really, more than anything, comments like this are what keep me motivated to write in the middle of tough seasons. I know you don’t “wear my shoes” nor I yours, but it meant so much to hear you say you “retreat” to the words I string together. <3
All the best as you return to work today: for you and those children who you are caring for and loving.
Lisa's Yarns
Well 2023 was the first year that I set goals in several years so I totally understand taking time away from goals. I don’t have the healthiest relationship with goals. It is very hard for me to not meet a goal without berating myself. So that is why I stepped away from goals. I know I won’t achieve some of the goals I met this year but I knocked it out of the park on a couple other goals so I am telling myself it all evens out and to let it go. Like there is no way I can run a 10k in 2 weeks so that goal is kaput. But so it goes.
I am excited to see how this all shapes out for you. I think focusing on rest is so important. It’s something I am focused on as part of managing my RA. It’s kind of countercultural to focus on rest which is sad. I feel like I am always having to defend my need to prioritize sleep/rest. But that is probably my own insecurity around it.
Elisabeth
I think the hard thing is society asks us to make things look easy – so try hard to make it all: work, marriage, parenting, fitness, food, home maintenance etc look perfect but also EASY. Like you do all the stuff to hold everything together AND still be rested. I’m either doing it wrong, or it’s impossible and I think it’s the latter…?
San
THANK YOU for saying it out loud that productivity doesn’t equal our worth. I know it often surely feels that way but by intentionally deciding to get off the hamster wheel, you’re making the first step in the right direction of a more balanced life.
I recently talked to a friend who was dealing with depression/burnout and spent a few weeks in a rehab facility (yes, completely paid for by the German health insurance) and it was the first time in a long time she could solely focus on herself. When I asked her about the experience, she said “it was wonderful, but when can we usually do that in our daily lives?”. So true.
I think it’s imperative to find ways to solely focus on ourselves, even if it’s for shorter stretches of time (a few hours every day).
I think my main focus would be to work on time perception. I think I have brought this up here and there before that I feel time perception (the constant feeling of everything moving so fast and constantly feeling “behind”) is one of the biggest mental hurdles that needs to be overcome. I realized that if I do things to slow down (a walk, a meditation, 15 minutes with a book) when I would usually rush to do the next thing on my to-do list, can really help slow down my day.
I am looking forward to reading more about your year of Shmita!
Melissa
This is great Elisabeth. As someone who, like you, is not a get up before dawn and do ten things bursting with energy type of person, I get it. My bouts of vertigo also puts a semi-regular brake on me kidding myself with what I can accomplish on my own. Some of this has, in fact, been an important aid to helping me grasp the limits of being human and grapple with some of the things you tackle in this post.
It is really hard to even see when some of our cultural stories run counter to a biblical view of humanity and even harder to step outside those stories. Here’s to being counter-cultural. To rejecting the tag of consumers … or producers and to embracing our identity in relationship with God, with people and with the creation. I look forward to following along as you work through this.
A couple of books that might make good reading during your year:
Heaven All Around Us by Simon Carey Holt (I took his class during my MDiv) all about spirituality of the everyday and knowing God in that. I too went from frequent baking to rarely baking and am trying to get back into it.
The Life We’re Looking For by Andy Crouch. An interesting take on technology, power, productivity and money from a Christian perspective. Contrasts the idea of power over with the way of Christ which is power with, vulnerable, self-sacrificing and respects our humanity with its inherent strengths and weaknesses.
Elisabeth
I’ve added both those books to my cart! Thanks for the recommendations and for “getting it”! Sometimes it can feel lonely or scary to be counter-cultural so I appreciate the support <3
Allison
I think, in this society where being productive – maybe even just LOOKING productive – is so disproportionately valued, that deciding to step back from that is the very opposite of weakness.
Anne
I love this idea so much, particularly for you, Elisabeth. It seems like it’s not just slowing down, but also refocusing on what is important to you and your family. You have put yourself “out there” so much this year – this summer, especially – and I hope these restorative seasons feed your soul.
Elisabeth
Thanks, Anne. I’m really (really, really) looking forward to it <3
Tobia | craftaliciousme
So many thoughts and now right words Elisabeth. Only what a wonderful idea. Let your soul catch up. Let God carry you.
I am loving this sentences: Thank you God for gifting me this opportunity to slow down.
I can relate about the guilty feeling of resting and slowing down when other have a lot to do and are working long hours (the. husband for one). It is very hard for me to rest then but I am learning.
As for tips. I am not really sure. But maybe finding your self a word and then trying to live that daily. Making a list what that word means. Also maybe. having a list of ways to make you feel rested, rejuvenated, slowed down. It is different for everyone so finding your things would be helpful when you are caught up in life swirls and need to re-focus on your smitha.
I am looking forward to following along.
Elisabeth
Great ideas – and yes, I made a list of things that help me feel rested/rejuvenated!
Kersti
I love this! I intentionally am doing something like a mini shmita this fall – no goals, except doing the basics at work and home, lots of self care, and I am working on some home organization (I want a clean “nest” for my period of downtime). I intuitively exercise as well by doing whatever sounds good, whether that is going for a run or hike or yoga instead. I work from home when I felt like it. I am doing the bare minimum for the holidays this year. I am trying to mentally detach more from work. I am hoping to get back to doing more in January or at least by spring, as I tend to feel best when I follow the rhythm of the seasons. Sometimes I feel like I’m still burned out from working hard in high school (20 years ago) and I have never recovered because I’ve been over doing it ever since!
Elisabeth
Yes! I have just started intuitively exercising this year (after 1.5 years of eating intuitively).
AND YES to feeling burned out from high school. So few people mention this but I think this is very true from me. I went right from high school, through two degrees (no breaks), got married (during the second degree), and had a baby about 3 months after I graduated with my Masters. There is cumulative stress from so many major events happening – and then of course add in that there are just some really, really hard things that have happened to me the last decade (as they do to everyone; I don’t pretend I have the corner on suffering).
But it took me until now to not feel guilt over my need to rest. I knew I needed it, but I felt like it was weakness. And now I feel brave and strong for making this move.
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Kyria @ Travel Spot
Hello! I am so behind on commenting, but I had to chime in on this one! I am in complete agreement with you here; as you know I am a runner, and we ALWAYS put a couple of rest days on our training schedules, because otherwise it is way too easy to get burned out and exhausted both mentally and physically. It is SO important to have rest days. I am so glad you are doing this. Having said that, my suggestion would be to have one day (if possible) a week (or month or whatever) that is a NO day. That can be a do nothing day and is put on the calendar and nothing is planned on that day. I think it is too easy to get stuck in the land of yes and to overbook ourselves, not just with friends but with life in general, and having a prescribed rest day is important. For me, this is Monday, and yes, sometimes that is when I schedule doctor’s appointments and so that week ends up being a busy one, but three weeks out of four, I keep this day as a non-social day. It may mean that every other weekday has extra stuff, but that one day is mine and mine alone.
Elisabeth
No days are brilliant. I have to admit I’m working very hard to make my default answer No which feels both terrible (as a life-long people pleaser), but also liberating.
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Marlena
This has given me a lot to ponder today. I found your website through Frugal Girl today. This is a fascinating concept and practice. I’m going to have to bounce it around in my thoughts for a bit. Thank you!
Elisabeth
Hi Marlena. Welcome to my little corner of the internet. It has been a very though provoking year for me!
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