6 Books To Help You Rest And Recharge

In partnership with the Guille-Allès Library

Do you ever feel like you just want to slow things down and catch your breath? But with so much going on, so many responsibilities and so much 'noise' in our everyday, where do you you start?  

Well, you start right here! The team at the library have curated this list of books for us to help you re-focus on self care and live a more balanced life. In a world where being busy is often seen as a badge of honour, these books can help you to understand the importance of rest and help to restore a sense of calm.

 

 

1.  Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

In our 24-7 global economy, rest feels like a luxury at best and a weakness at worst. We see work and rest as competitors - but what if they're actually partners in a productive, balanced life?

Silicon Valley consultant Alex Soojung-Kim exposes how we've underestimated the power of rest for our success. For most of us, overwork is the new norm and we never take the time to recharge, but it’s only when we are fully rested that our true potential can be reached. In this groundbreaking book, Soojung-Kim suggests small changes to get the most out of your downtime and subsequently improve the quality of your personal and professional life.

Reserve ‘Rest’

 

2.  Recharge - A Year of Self-Care to Focus on You by Julie Montagu

Named one of the top ten holistic health icons in the world, Montagu knows a thing or two about health and happiness. In this month-by-month self-care guide, she seeks to share her wealth of knowledge and offers guidance, tips and advice designed to keep self-care at the forefront of the reader’s mind.

Each month of the year covers a specific area of self-care, including mindful eating, managing stress, digital detox, rebuilding self-esteem, finding your passions and more. The book’s bite-sized format and endless positivity make for an accessible workbook for anyone looking to recharge their life.

Reserve ‘Recharge’

 

3.  The Practice of Not Thinking by Ryunosuke Koike

What if we could learn to look instead of see, listen instead of hear, feel instead of touch? Former monk Ryunosuke Koike shows how, by incorporating simple Zen practices into our daily lives, we can reconnect with our five senses and live in a more peaceful, positive way.

When we focus on our senses and learn to re-train our brains and our bodies, we start to eliminate the distracting noise of our minds and the negative thoughts that create anxiety. By following Ryunosuke Koike's practical steps on how to breathe, listen, speak, laugh, love and even sleep in a new way, we can improve our interactions with others, feel less stressed at work and make every day calmer. Only by thinking less, can we appreciate more.

Reserve ‘The Practice of Not Thinking’

 

4.  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Our lives are driven by a fact most of us can't name and don't understand: whether we're an introvert or an extrovert. This defines who our friends and lovers are, which careers we choose, and whether we blush when we're embarrassed.

In ‘Quiet,’ Cain shows how the brain chemistry of introverts and extroverts differs, and how their energy levels fluctuate in different social situations. While an extrovert gains energy around others, an introvert may need quiet time to fully recharge their social batteries. Cain’s work offers validation for people who may struggle to thrive in a loud society and discusses the value of a little quiet time when the world becomes too noisy.

Reserve ‘Quiet’

 

5.  Calm by Fearne Cotton

In today's always-on world, for many of us it seems impossible to relax, take time out or mute the encircling 'noise'. It is easy to feel trapped in this frenzied state of mind: we are surrounded by negative stories in the press, weighed down by pressures from work, family life or school and subject to constant scrutiny under the all-seeing eye of social media. As a result, mental health illnesses are on the rise in every age group, and more of us than ever before yearn for silence, peace and calm.

CALM is Fearne's mission to find the simple things that can inch us away from stress and over to the good stuff. Including expert advice, conversations with wise friends from all walks of life, easy ideas to try, activities to complete - and the little things that have made a difference to her own, sometimes bumpy life - this book is a friendly reminder that Calm is a place that exists in us all, we just have to find our way back to it.

Reserve ‘Calm’

 

6.  The Mindfulness Playbook by Dr Barbara Mariposa

In this concise, readable book you'll learn useful, do-able skills that you can integrate into every aspect of your life for stress-free success. It will give you tools and skills to manage stress, reduce anxiety and deal effectively with the pace and pressure of 21st century living. The author also demystifies the most important aspect of what drives us, our relationships and our decision-making and explains how you can change the way your brain is wired to move effortlessly towards a fulfilling life of clarity, focus and balance.

This short reassuring book is rich in science but light on jargon. It is underpinned by a model which provides proven solutions for combatting stress, anxiety and burnout. The simple, easily learned mindfulness techniques will enable you to rewire your brain and participate fully and enthusiastically with life.

Reserve ‘The Mindfulness Playbook’

Have you read any of these? Let us know on social.