Emma Longbottom, a Leeds-based wellbeing practitioner, is encouraging people to stop glorifying busyness and start prioritising rest with the launch of her book "Why Prioritising Rest Will Change Your Life: Join the Rest Revolution!" on 22nd of September.
The book challenges the idea that rest is something we have to earn. Instead, Emma argues that rest should be considered a fundamental foundation of a healthy, fulfilling life:
In many ways, rest feels like the most powerful act of rebellion we can participate in right now.
Says Emma.
We live in a world that celebrates being busy and productive, where weβre made to feel lazy if we choose to stop. Choosing to slow down, be still and reconnect with ourselves feels revolutionary.
Part memoir and part practical self-help guide
"Why Prioritising Rest Will Change Your Life" draws on Emma's own experiences and more than a decade of exploring rest as part of her wellbeing path, alongside over six years of teaching rest practices to others.
The book explores the physical, mental, emotional and energetic benefits of rest, why so many people struggle to prioritise it, and how simple practices can be incorporated into everyday life.
Emma's own experiences have shaped much of the book. Through periods of chronic pain, recurring illness and constant stress, she discovered that rest could play a significant role in supporting her wellbeing.
But she believes you don't need to reach burnout or exhaustion before you start paying attention to rest:
I wrote this book for the person who is tired but keeps pushing, who feels guilty when they sit down, or who tells themselves they will rest when everything else is finished. I want people to realise that they don't have to wait until theyβre completely exhausted before they give themselves permission to stop. In fact incorporating rest into your life will make you healthier and more productive.
The book is deliberately interactive, combining personal stories and accessible information with practical rest practices, reflection exercises and opportunities for readers to pause and experience rest for themselves.
Emma will also be taking the message beyond the pages of the book through a programme of rest workshops and events, as well as a launch party on the 22nd of September in Leeds, combining discussion and practical teaching with guided rest practices.
Join the Rest Revolution!
