Radical Rest: is there Joy at Work?
Welcome to the Radical Rest Network! In this month’s mailout, learn from our recent meet-up on rest and gender equality, join us to explore what Joy at Work looks like, and find resources and support for your own rest. If you're new to the idea of Radical Rest, find out about our original research on rest in the cultural sector here.
Radical Rest Network online meet-up: Joy at Work
Date for your diaries: our next meet-up is on Tuesday 25th June, 2-3pm BST. Join other RRN members for an hour of inspiration, ideas, challenges, and support to make rest a priority for yourself and your team.
This month we’ll have insight from the fabulous Laura Crossley: Laura’s recent research on Joyful Workplaces turned the focus on toxic work cultures on its head, to explore what really works for those with a happy working life.
Joining us on 25th June? Click here to RSVP: link removed as this event has passed
Sharing learning from our April meet-up
We were so lucky at our last meet-up to hear from Rosanagh Fuller, who ran the Power Of Women’s “Restival” using arts and creativity for gender equality in rest. Some takeaways from her amazing talk and our discussion:
“Curating rest for you”, from socialising to solitude, and time to dream - it’s okay if bubble baths aren’t rest for you!
Workshops celebrating rest felt restorative and decadent for women
Impacts of the rest theme for those running the festival: we talked about tiredness more than usual, noticed our flexible working hours can lead to blurred boundaries
Focussing on aims, rather than having loads of new ideas: “I want to have less imagination!”
Free-write your version of success - unlikely it’s a Lamborghini & job in the city
"I’m going to tell my team what ‘good enough’ looks like”
Book recommendations: Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey, The Book of Boundaries: Set the Limits that will Set You Free by Melissa Urban.
Thanks to Rosanagh, and everyone who brought so much support and insight for each other - can’t wait for the next meet-up.
Do you have requests for a future RRN meetup? Tell us here.
Upcoming opportunities on rest:
“Emotion and Museums” online conference in June from the Social History Curators Group, with a keynote on Radical Rest - half-days and only £20, book here
64 Million Artists launch their Manifesto for Transformative Workplace Culture on Weds 12th June - if you’re new to their amazing changes for rest, from 4-day-week to taking August off, there’s a summary here
Re-Up Online, a new ‘restorative oasis’ for Global Majority cultural professionals to connect and find tools to recharge. If you’re not yet familiar with Gaylene Gould’s Re-Up research, it’s a must-read
Recommended reads to inspire your rest this month:
GLAMCares ran their first conference last month on Wellbeing and Care in the Cultural Sector - great takeaways included projects Investigating Emotionally Laden Work in Museums, and how creative practice contributes to a Culture of Care
Could you win Seoul’s International Space Out competition for pro resters?
Inspired by new book A Year of Nothing, this writer tried taking a “sabbatical” for one day and found it’s not easy to rest!
We know that nature is good for mental health - new research shows that variety of species is what makes a difference
“Change happens slowly. If you want to change, you have to figure out things you can do every day, so it might incrementally occur. You’re not going to become a giraffe overnight; it’s not possible. You’ll have to add one centimetre to your neck every day at 4 p.m., and eventually, you’ll look in the mirror and find you’re a giraffe.”
- Sophie Lucido Johnson, You Are Doing A Good Enough Job