Feel Guilty Whenever You Take Time Off To Relax? You're Not Alone
Clinical psychologist Amanda Gordon says this culture of busy-ness needs to change
For so many of us, being busy and stressed is now just a way of life. Societies pride themselves on busy-ness, colleagues brag about how late they work overtime in the office, while friends constantly boast how many investments and stocks they're watching and trading all night.
However, clinical psychologist Amanda Gordon says this culture of busy-ness needs to change. "Without downtime, we power on mindlessly," she explains. "We need time to reflect and focus on what's truly important in life."
Here, all the reasons why it's perfectly okay for you to take a pause in your work, learn how to relax in life, and afford yourself some downtime:
You often schedule meetings, dinners, and workouts, but how often do you really schedule breaks? Even if it's just a lunch break, Amanda says this is a good time to focus on what's important to us. So, pop downtime in your diary – that way you're far more likely to honour it.
"Our culture seems to applaud 'busy-ness' and condemn those who take space to ensure their activities are worthwhile and effective," says Amanda. It can be confusing, but just remember, you are not a bad person for taking time to care for yourself. In fact, you'll be better (and healthier) for it.
Social media binges and mindless TV entertainment might seem relaxing but too much screen time is terrible for your rest, says Amanda. In fact, recent studies have found it can damage your brains' cognitive functions like making decisions, controlling impulses and processing emotions.
Our brains need constant stimulation, but Amanda says these can be simple things. Try engaging with others, read a real book, listen to a podcast, go for a long walk, create something or just cook a new meal – it's up to you.
A power nap can last between 10 to 30 minutes and can be invaluable. Not only good for stress levels, naps can help with our problem solving, verbal memory, perceptual learning and statistical learning. If there's no time for a lie down Amanda suggests gentle movement and frequent small breaks from what you're doing.
Text: Bauer Syndication