Podcast Summary: Squiggly Careers, "7 Types of Rest to Recharge and Do Your Best at Work"

Hosts: Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper
Date: November 18, 2025

Overview

In this engaging and practical episode, Sarah and Helen draw on Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s research to unpack the seven types of rest and explore how tailoring rest to your personal and work needs can enhance your wellbeing and performance. They share personal anecdotes, coaching questions, and even an AI-powered prompt to help listeners reflect and create their own rest profiles. Designed for both individuals and teams, the episode emphasizes self-awareness, the dynamic nature of rest, and actionable strategies for improvement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to the Seven Types of Rest (03:01–08:06)

• Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s Framework: Seven distinct types of rest go beyond the general idea of relaxation, making rest more nuanced and personalized.
• Dynamic Process: Rest needs change, and you can design your rest based on current demands and self-awareness.
  • “It's describing rest as like a dynamic process. We all need different kinds of rest at different moments.” (Sarah, 01:03)
• De-stigmatizing Rest Needs: Open team discussions about rest reduce judgment and foster understanding of differing rest requirements.

The 7 Types of Rest Explained (03:18–07:16)

1. Physical Rest: Passive (sleep, napping) and active (yoga, massage).
   • “How nice that massage counts! Permission to book myself in for a massage feels more appealing.” (Sarah, 04:08)
2. Mental Rest: Managing the "always on" brain, difficulty switching off.
   • “You can't switch off… you know, you go to bed, but your mind is still racing.” (Helen, 04:34)
3. Sensory Rest: Overcoming overstimulation from lights, screens, and noise.
   • “I had an event with 600 people in one room... I definitely needed some sensory rest after that.” (Sarah, 05:12)
4. Creative Rest: Replenishing creative energy by stepping away from problem-solving—often through time in nature or art.
5. Emotional Rest: Taking breaks from being empathetic or a people pleaser.
   • “If you are naturally a people pleaser, then you probably need to take emotional rest really seriously.” (Sarah, 06:31)
6. Social Rest: Choosing relationships that restore, not drain.
   • “Surround yourself with relationships that revive you rather than exhaust you.” (Sarah, 06:33)
7. Spiritual Rest: Finding meaning, purpose, and a sense of belonging; not necessarily religious.
   • “It’s about kind of purpose and belonging and meaning, kind of connecting to something that is beyond yourself.” (Sarah, 06:56)

Making Rest Personal and Relational (07:53–08:43)

• Encourage open team conversations about rest preferences to increase understanding and support.
• Recognize that valuing different types of rest is personal and not hierarchical.

Reflective Coaching Questions (08:43–21:11)

Sarah and Helen use coaching questions to prompt personal rest reflection:

• Where are you at your best with rest? Where is your rest gap?
• Small Actions: “What's the smallest action you could take to start closing that rest gap?” (Sarah, 16:52)
• Who can help support or protect your rest?
  • “Who can support me to protect my rest at the moment? So that you're not just sort of flying solo...” (Sarah, 19:49)

Personal Examples:

• Helen: Does well with physical (regular Peloton) and social rest (protecting energizing friendships); gap in creative rest, which she refuels by reading in depth.
  • “Sometimes I just need that time away from creating… to reconnect with my ideas.” (Helen, 10:57)
• Sarah: Improved physical rest through varied, flexible exercise options; social rest is a gap due to limited time for non-work friends.
  • “Every time I see my friends who are like friends first… it reminds me there’s life outside Amazing If.” (Sarah, 15:33)

Implementing Rest: Technology & Personalization (24:18–28:31)

Using AI for Personal Rest Recommendations

• Prompt for Personalized Recommendations: Helen shares a ChatGPT prompt that tailors rest strategies based on individualized answers.
  • Prompt Example:

    “Act as my squiggly career coach... Use this article and ask me one short and specific question at a time to collect insights and identify my personal REST profile. Generate three personalized and practical recommendations for rest that I could add into my week.” (Helen, 24:53)

• Sample AI Recommendations:
  1. Mind reset between meetings
  2. Phone-free mornings
  3. Scheduled movement breaks

Challenge and Adapt Recommendations

• Personalize AI-generated suggestions; if one doesn’t fit (“phone-free for 30 minutes”), challenge it until you find what works.

The Importance of the "When" (28:31–30:37)

• Action lies in specifics—consider when rest will fit into your schedule for better follow-through.
  • “If Helen is going to do these body breaks... my next question would be, when are you realistically most likely to do that?” (Sarah, 28:45)
• Even very short rests, like a brief walk, can make a meaningful difference in wellbeing and productivity.

Team Applications and Takeaways (30:37–30:57)

• Try a “reflections on rest” session in your team:
  • Spend 10–15 minutes discussing the 7 types, using the questions from the podcast.
  • Use the AI prompt for individualized recommendations.
  • Share back and support each other's rest commitments.
  • “Quite a nice half an hour to spend as a team together.” (Sarah, 30:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It's describing rest as like a dynamic process. We all need different kinds of rest at different moments.” (Sarah, 01:03, 07:16)
• “Rest is not better or worse; it’s just what’s right for you.” (Helen, 08:06)
• “What's the smallest action you could take to start closing that rest gap?” (Sarah, 16:52)
• On creative rest: “Sometimes I just need that time away from creating… to reconnect with my ideas.” (Helen, 10:57)
• “Surround yourself with relationships that revive you rather than exhaust you.” (Sarah, 06:33)
• “Who can support me to protect my rest at the moment?” (Sarah, 19:49)
• “It’s like you have to be intentional... Otherwise it just probably won’t happen.” (Sarah, 28:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Seven Types of Rest, Overview & Personalization: 03:01–08:06
• Type-by-Type Breakdown: 03:18–07:16
• Coaching Questions & Personal Examples: 08:43–21:11
• Implementing Rest (AI & Practical Tips): 24:18–28:31
• Action-Planning with 'When' & Team Applications: 28:31–30:57

Tone & Style

The conversation is supportive, candid, and gently humorous—typical of Sarah and Helen’s style. Their discussion is honest about their own rest struggles and strengths, and they encourage experimentation, personalization, and open dialogue.

Takeaway Actions

• Identify Your Rest Needs: Reflect on which of the seven types of rest you need most right now.
• Have Open Team Conversations: Normalize and support different rest styles within your team.
• Use Personalized Tools: Try the podcast’s ChatGPT prompt for tailored rest suggestions.
• Make Rest Practical: Use 'when' questions and small actions for implementation.
• Celebrate Progress: Recognize and share how you’ve rested well over the year.

Next episode teaser: The hosts will continue the conversation on "mattering" – feeling that you and your work matter.

For further resources and the “podsheet” summary, visit amazingif.com or check the show notes.