I tried rest. It didn’t work.

It’s Monday morning. You have done nothing all weekend. It has been what in my house we call a “potato weekend”. A lot of TV. Long lie-ins. Movie night. Easy food. You made a point of resting, because you’ve been so tired lately. Yet, here you are, Monday morning, and you’re exhausted before you’ve even started.

Sound familiar? 

First of all, why is it that ‘doing nothing’ doesn’t always feel terribly restful?

 One reason is that psychological exhaustion is not the same as physical exhaustion. After a long week of sitting at a desk, your body might not be particularly tired, but your brain absolutely is.

So, how can you give your brain a proper rest over the weekend, so Monday morning feels less “here we go again” and more “fresh start”.

Mind and Matter

Think about running a marathon.

If, immediately after crossing the finish line, you lie down for three days and refuse to move, you won’t magically feel better. Your muscles will stiffen. You’ll ache more and you’ll be at risk of injury.

Instead, you soak your muscles. You might take an ice bath. You go for a gentle walk the next day. You book a sports massage.

You recover actively.

You know, either intuitively or by trial and error, that your body doesn’t just need absence of movement – it needs restorative movement.

Your nervous system isn’t so different.

After weeks (or months) of cognitive and emotional strain – deadlines, decisions, responsibilities, constant low-level alertness – collapsing onto the sofa is understandable. Sometimes necessary.

But it isn’t always restorative.

So, where does creativity fit into recovery?

“Rest isn’t always about doing less. Sometimes it’s about doing something different”

Nervous system regulation

The brain equivalent of getting all that lactic acid out of your muscles is clearing the stress hormones out of your system – more commonly called “nervous system regulation”. And as good as doom scrolling feels, it’s not doing the job.

There is, of course, a place for passive rest in life. Just as when you train for a marathon you need days when you don’t run, so too your nervous system can benefit from a day of doing very little.

But restorative rest often involves activity.

Not hustle. Not productivity.

Just the sort of movement, expression, or sensory input to signal to your body:

There is no threat.

That’s where creativity comes in.

Creativity sits in a sweet spot between effort and ease.

It engages your brain just enough to shift your attention away from the constant loop of tasks, worries and unfinished to-do lists – but not so much that it becomes another addition to your mental load.

When you sing along to a song, doodle on a page, cook something from scratch (for joy), or lose yourself in a craft project, your brain moves into a different gear. Psychologists sometimes call this a flow state – a place where attention is focused, time softens, and your nervous system finally gets the signal that it is safe to stand down.

In other words, creativity gives your brain the equivalent of a post-marathon sports massage.

Not an expert

The good news is that this doesn’t require becoming a painter, musician or novelist.

Active creative recovery can be surprisingly small and simple:

• Singing in the car on the way to the supermarket

• Dancing around the kitchen while dinner cooks (don’t let the potatoes boil dry. I speak from experience)

• Doodling while your mind wanders

• Rearranging the flowers on your table

• Trying a new spice combination just to see what happens.

None of these activities are productive in the traditional sense.

That’s precisely the point.

They interrupt the stress cycle and remind your nervous system that life is not only about solving problems.

In time, there can be real value in mastering something. But if you’re just getting started, the simple act of doing is wonderfully effective.

Back to Monday

So, if you find yourself on Monday morning wondering why your “restful weekend” didn’t do the trick, you’re not imagining it.

Because, just like your muscles after a marathon, your mind doesn’t only need stillness.

It needs the right kind of movement.