NEW YEAR 7-DAY FOCUS PROGRAM

Sunday's Focus

 1 Hour of Clean Rest

Rest supports physical recovery, mental clarity, and emotional resilience. This is your time to reset and prepare your energy levels for the week ahead so that you can go again. Your health is something you must maintain for life, not a 12-week sprint, so endurance is key!

Rest is essential for repairing your body, balancing hormones, and reducing cortisol, all of which are critical for sustainable health and energy. It’s not downtime—it’s an active investment in your physical recovery, mental clarity, and long-term success.

Give yourself permission to rest—completely guilt-free. Whether it’s curling up with a cup of tea, enjoying a nap, watching a movie, or doing absolutely nothing for an hour, today’s focus is on recharging.

Why Rest is Productive to Your Health Journey

1. Physical Recovery: When you rest, your muscles repair and grow after workouts, making you stronger and more resilient. Without proper rest, your muscles can’t rebuild effectively, which could lead to fatigue or even injury.

2. Stress Reduction: Rest helps lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone). Chronic stress throws your hormones off balance, impacting everything from your mood to your metabolism. Taking time to unwind is essential for staying grounded and balanced.

3. Hormonal Balance: Quality rest supports the production and regulation of hormones, including those that influence your appetite, energy, and mood. Sleep, in particular, helps regulate leptin and ghrelin, the hormones that control hunger and fullness.

4. Mental Clarity: A well-rested mind is more focused, creative, and emotionally balanced. When you’re rested, you’re better equipped to make healthy choices and stick to your goals. You're also more likely to respond calmly to others rather than reacting, improving your relationships.

5. Longevity of Habits: Rest allows you to recharge so you can keep showing up. Pushing through exhaustion might work in the short term, but it’s not sustainable. Rest ensures you can maintain the momentum for the long haul.

Think of rest as a reset button. It’s not “doing nothing”; it’s an active investment in your health. Rest makes you more productive, more consistent, and more in tune with your body’s needs. So when you rest, remind yourself—it’s not slacking, it’s strategy.

What is Clean Rest?

 Avoid screens and anything that feels like "doing" or “working through the to do list”. It may feel unnatural at first if you have grown up learning that you must be productive all the time. It’s time to unlearn this belief and sit in the discomfort - your body will thank you!

Environment:

Create a cosy space with calming scents (like lavender), a soft blanket, and gentle warm lighting.

Calming Sounds:

I listen to relaxing playlists on Spotify such as the ‘Peaceful Meditation’ playlist whenever I’m trying to rest, or even throughout my day and when driving if I’m feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed.

Ideas:

• Have a slow morning with a nourishing breakfast.
  
  
• Spend time outside with no agenda.
  
  
• Take a nap or just lay on the couch with a favourite blanket and listen to soft music. Your mind is likely to wander and that’s okay, may the space to process all those thoughts is exactly what you need.
  
  
• Simply sit quietly with tea. You could also read, journal or meditate.
  
  
• Draw a bath with Epsom salts and essential oils.
  
  
• Practice Yin yoga or restorative yoga poses with a focus on slow breathing. If Yoga doesn’t appeal to you, even a stretch session would have the same effect and feel good. You could either go to a studio or use YouTube at home.
  
  
• Journal about the week’s reflections or set intentions for the next. I find Pinterest vision-boarding very relaxing.
  
  
• Sit in a sunny spot outside and observe nature or read a book
  
  
• Go to a park and lie down on a picnic rug with snacks
  
  
• Go to the beach or the river and watch the waves and the boats
  
  
• Do some arts and crafts with soft music on or sitting out the back in nature. This could include painting, puzzling, pottery - whatever you choose. Kmart has some excellent craft kits for cheap if you want some inspiration.