Friday Feature: Active Rest

Perhaps it's because I'm on vacation, but I'm finding the topic of balance quite interesting. It's a great topic for summer, though -- a time where relaxation is an implicit part of the plan. We're supposed to relax in the summer. It's allowed.

But why can't we relax the rest of the year? Sure, there are myriad reasons. Work pressure. School pressure. Life in general.

Or are they excuses?

Our brains do a better job of operating efficiently when we give them down time. We take in an enormous amount of information all day every day and our brains need time to process it. Sleep, actually, is one of the times that our brains do just that -- sort through the detritus of the day to determine what matters and what doesn't.

Think you need to keep powering forward? Stop for a moment and think about how much time you spend at work actually working. If you're like most people, it's definitely not the full eight hours. And not because we're slackers. A lighter, more leisurely work day was behind a lot of work we now consider brilliant.

Don't believe me? Check out "Why You Should Slack off to Get Some Work Done." And then take a nap.

You've earned it.

The Art of the Tweet

It took me a while to become a Twitter fan. At first, I just didn't get it but, once I discovered that it was a source of interesting reading material, I was hooked.

I still struggle with creating "just right" tweets (although I can usually find a few that are just so wrong...). Instead of writing pithy tweets of my own, I find myself replying, retweeting and reposting my blogs. 

I'm learning. I'll get the hang of it.

Some days, Twitter makes me smile, but other days, it's more frustrating than inspiring. Today, I set out to stack the deck in my favor, intentionally going in search of tweets I liked. 

Here's a sampling:

• Tweet #1: Talking to yourself can improve your mood, enhance your intelligence and boost self esteem. (Source: Psychology Living; @LivPsy) 

         Why I liked it: Isn't it obvious? This is great news for those of us who talk to ourselves!

• Tweet #2: This morning it rained inside the New York City subway. Yes, you read that right.(Source: Wired; @Wired) 

         Why I liked it: Clever, attention-getting and prompted me to read the piece.

• Tweet #3:  Being afraid of Friday the 13th is such a Hufflepuff thing to do. (Clearly not today's tweet from Professor Snape; @_Snape)

         Why I liked it: True to character with just the right amount of snark.

• Tweets #4 & #5: Aim for what you want, and don't downsize your #dream.
• Live the story you want to tell. (Source: Valorie Burton; @ValorieBurton)

         Why I liked it: I can always count on Valorie Burton for a touch of inspiration.

It took me a while, but now, Twitter is a daily habit. Although I'm still perfecting the "just right" tweet, I have discovered that being informed, amused and maybe even inspired by Twitter means knowing where to look.

Who are your social media inspirations?