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While many of us dream of days when we can do ‘absolutely nothing’, as soon as they roll around we find ourselves struggling to sit still. Relaxation guilt is a real thing. It doesn’t help that we are surrounded by a culture of constant reminders to be high flyers, fast thrivers, and go getters. Leading a busy life seems to be a sign of success, meaning that every spare minute should be crammed with ticking items off the endless ‘to do’ list. For many people, not doing something ‘productive’ in their leisure time leads them to believe those hours were wasted. This is the narrative we need to change, because relaxation can be one of our most productive assets, because life is about growth, not an endpoint of success.
Changing the narrative about relaxation starts with recognizing that down time isn’t lost time. There is a reason that people say they get their best ideas when soaking in the tub, driving to work, or in those soft moments before sleep. It’s because your brain is finally able to let go for a second, and join the dots, helping you to make sense of things that you may have been too overwhelmed to address earlier. If you cram your free time to breaking point, there is no space for creative thought, subconscious problem solving or spontaneity.
Changing how we view relaxation as a guilty pleasure will also help to remove us from the narrative of competition. Moving yourself out of the hierarchy of who works harder means that you are more likely to operate out of well rested passion and natural productivity rather than fear, which also means your chances of success are higher. There is an old cliché about not seeing the wood for the trees. If you don’t step back from a situation – whether it be a work project or personal endeavor – you may struggle to see a clear resolution.
If you really struggle to let go of the guilt then start by working in leisure time into your weekly task list. Allocate 15-20 minutes four times a week to go and sit in the park, drink a latte in a coffeeshop or to simply lie down on your bed. Avoid phones or other paraphernalia, the point is to do nothing.
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Aug 31, 2017why downtime isn't lost time
While many of us dream of days when we can do ‘absolutely nothing’, as soon as they roll around we find ourselves struggling to sit still. Relaxation guilt is a real thing. It doesn’t help that we are surrounded by a culture of constant reminders to be high flyers, fast thrivers, and go getters. Leading a busy life seems to be a sign of success, meaning that every spare minute should be crammed with ticking items off the endless ‘to do’ list. For many people, not doing something ‘productive’ in their leisure time leads them to believe those hours were wasted. This is the narrative we need to change, because relaxation can be one of our most productive assets, because life is about growth, not an endpoint of success.
Changing the narrative about relaxation starts with recognizing that down time isn’t lost time. There is a reason that people say they get their best ideas when soaking in the tub, driving to work, or in those soft moments before sleep. It’s because your brain is finally able to let go for a second, and join the dots, helping you to make sense of things that you may have been too overwhelmed to address earlier. If you cram your free time to breaking point, there is no space for creative thought, subconscious problem solving or spontaneity.
Changing how we view relaxation as a guilty pleasure will also help to remove us from the narrative of competition. Moving yourself out of the hierarchy of who works harder means that you are more likely to operate out of well rested passion and natural productivity rather than fear, which also means your chances of success are higher. There is an old cliché about not seeing the wood for the trees. If you don’t step back from a situation – whether it be a work project or personal endeavor – you may struggle to see a clear resolution.
If you really struggle to let go of the guilt then start by working in leisure time into your weekly task list. Allocate 15-20 minutes four times a week to go and sit in the park, drink a latte in a coffeeshop or to simply lie down on your bed. Avoid phones or other paraphernalia, the point is to do nothing.
If you enjoyed our post, feel free to share it via our ready to go tweet.
