Rest or renewal - starting this year on your terms

Let's explore rest's hidden cost: How our society commodifies relaxation and how working for oneself amplifies the burden of taking a break.

Happy New Year!

As we leave the holiday season's glittery extravaganza behind and step into 2024, I want to highlight the contrast between our winter reality and the 'new year, new energy' mindset. We set intentions for a healthier, more fulfilling, and profitable year ahead whilst still in the depths of winter, at least in the northern hemisphere. Short days and long, cold nights invite us to slow down, rest, and replenish, waiting for spring.

However, this desire to pause and introspect often conflicts with the realities of our lives – the absence of childcare during the holidays, the presence of family, or the urge to start this year out strong.

I’m curious to know: Are you longing to embrace the stillness of winter, or are you eager to leap into the new year with renewed energy? Share it in the comments.

Gloomy mountains in South Tyrol by Otto Spechtenhauser on Unsplash

Balancing rest and responsibility

I’ve recently experienced first-hand the complexities of balancing rest and responsibilities. Whilst preparing to welcome new members to our community, I fell ill. My energy reserves were low, yet I felt the need to fulfil my promise without letting others down.

This situation forced me to prioritise where to focus my limited energy. I decided to concentrate on two things: IMMA and rest. This also meant a solo New Year's Eve – a balance of light work and relaxation on my couch. And you know what? It felt surprisingly good.

Me at 8pm on New Year's Eve: what followed was dinner, relaxation, and watching fireworks from bed.

The weight and cost of rest

This experience highlighted the peculiar nature of our relationship with rest.

We pay for rest in a society that has commercialised it through retreats, spas, and holidays. Alternatively, rest requires a diagnosis, reflecting its medicalisation and the need for a doctor's approval.

It's a symptom of our individualistic, hustle-driven culture, which often leaves us feeling isolated and exhausted.

Working for yourself intensifies this. Charging by the hour or day makes rest costly. When you’re the sole provider of your service, your business pauses when you do. So taking a break, being sick, or resting becomes a burden.

But I wonder, could we alleviate this weight by being more involved in each other's business? That’s one of the questions I look forward to exploring with IMMA.

As we step into this new year, I invite you to listen to your energy. Do what feels right for you. Energy is a precious resource – let's honour it as much as our time.

Here's to a year of intentional living, authentic connections, and, yes, embracing those much-needed moments of rest.

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The spotlight

Let’s shine a light on the work of Oana Nechifor a Visual Storyteller who creates illustrations and animations, to better communicate concepts, to stakeholders and clients.

There is a lot of noise and many misconceptions in the climate space. Using visual communication, I want to help companies cut through the noise and gain the essential support to accelerate the progress of their projects.

Check our Oana’s work and connect with her.

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Interesting opportunities for you

After spending hundreds of hours and sharing 486 opportunities in 2023, I feel it's time to value my time and effort. Therefore, I will share 10 weekly opportunities with free subscribers and reserve the full list for the members of our community.

Researcher - Ada Lovelace Institute
📍 not stated
💰 £250/day rate
⏰ 5th January

Development of a study that reviews the state-of- the art in funding L&D - Fundación Avina
📍Remote
💰5k
⏰ 3rd of January!

UX Designer - PowerMyLearning
📍Remote
💰$40/hour
⏰ ASAP

Rewards & Compensation Specialist - TIER Mobility
📍Austria, Greece, Switzerland, Hungary
💰Not stated
⏰ ASAP

Senior Program Manager - SYPartners
📍Abu Dhabi, UAE
💰Not stated
⏰ ASAP

Climate Action Workshop Manager - Climate Club NZ
📍 Auckland, New Zealand
⏰ 8th January
💰$35 - $40 / hour, based on experience

Call for Proposals: Advance the Agriculture Adaptation Atlas - The Adaptation Atlas
📍Remote - US
💰US$ 250,000
⏰ 19th January

Content Creator - EU Elections 2024 - The European Network Against Racism
📍EU
💰not stated
⏰ 7th January

Digital Content and Social Media Producer - Wellcome Trust
📍Remote
💰£39,710 - 12 months fixed term
⏰ 14th January

Cultural Change and Engagement Manager - National Grid
📍Warwick (hybrid working)
💰Not stated
⏰ 11th January

Become a member for full access to exclusive opportunities. We welcome a limited number of new members monthly, ensuring a more intimate and connected community experience.

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Behind the Scenes at IMMA:

• January Meet-ups in London, Berlin, and Online: Ready to connect with other impact-driven freelancers and solopreneurs? Discover our upcoming events, now welcoming non-members. Join us

• Our Memberships are live: What a milestone! We now have a space to meet, support, and connect with each other. It's a work in progress, but a promising beginning.

• Grow Membership Expert Roster: We are still looking for experts to share their knowledge, insights and tips in Grow. Interested? Check out our call for experts. (paid opportunity)
  

  Wishing you a thoughtful start to the year, filled with fulfilling projects and encounters – hopefully, some with IMMA
  
  I’ll be in your inbox next week.

  
  Lilli