Nesting to Rest

Nesting is a behaviour that is characterized by the urge to clean and organize. Different sources identify nesting as a behaviour done at specific times of the year, often related to spring cleaning, preparation for childbirth, or welcoming a newborn. The new year is another good time to practice nesting as it prepares one's habitat for another year of living. It is common to include " keeping things organized" into one's new year's resolution, whether in the form of keeping an updated planner or making the bed every morning. With the popularization of home organization shows, people have found their niche in their nesting behaviours. With the rise of work from home movements, it has become a staple practice for me to develop a nesting to rest attitude towards home organization. The following list includes 3 goals that I want to reach as I live through the year 2022.

1. Plan for work and plan for rest.

Whether you prefer using pre-dated planners, dotted journals, notepad apps, or tissue napkins to keep yourself updated, making sure to include restful activities on your list improves your attitude towards achieving productivity. Choose to include creative tasks and hobbies that you enjoy. Add painting, playing an instrument, lounging on the couch while watching an x amount of episodes of your favourite show, or taking a power nap into your to-do list. Just as school time includes recess or nutrition breaks into the schedule, include rest into yours.

2. Develop a nest to rest attitude.

Organize not to prepare for work but to prepare for a clutter-free rest area. Have you ever gone on a speed cleaning rampage because some guests are coming over? Have you ever organized your desk because you wanted to be more productive for work? This time, try to organize and speed clean to enjoy the freshly dusted couch and empty desktops for yourself. This time, instead of cleaning for the sake of others, do it for your own satisfaction. Develop the attitude of cleaning and organizing merely because you want to avoid having full garbage bins or kitchen sinks haunting you and calling for you while you are trying to concentrate on your work. Nest to rest.

3. Make use of blank spaces and scientific theories.

Blank spaces help declutter the room and the mind. Think minimalism, and strip down everything you have to their essential quality and simplicity. When it comes to your decorative lifestyle, consider the purpose of the items you have and choose to archive or display. Wall decorations and table ornaments are wonderful to have at certain times of the year but for regular days, having empty walls and tables can serve as a blank canvas for your eyes to rest. This also includes choosing bed sheets, pillows, stuffed animals, plushies, and other accents that join you as you slumber. In choosing bed sheets, look into colour psychology, fabric quality, or aromatherapy. Choose your favourite colour or choose a colour according to how they make you feel. Choose a fabric that makes you feel comfortable, warm, or cool depending on your body's sleep dynamics. Choose fabric softeners or diffusers that can help ease and relax your olfactory nerves.

Rest can be a tricky topic to handle as everyone has their own definition of it. Sleep quality can also differ as people have their own circadian rhythms and lifestyles. The 3 aforementioned goals can be applied to anyone's new year as they can be personalized to each one's preferences. The past year has been unpredictable in many good and unlikable ways but let's all approach this new year with flexible goals and self-caring nesting behaviours.

Happy new year!