How did ‘stress’ and ‘burnout’ become such commonly used terms and, more specifically, more commonly diagnosed symptoms? And how did downtime become such a rare phenomenon? Or, even more so, a guilt-inducing use of time? Why has sounding extremely busy become a symbol of importance? And why do we think that we can take care of everyone else if we don’t first take care of ourselves? Why have we become the least important item on our list of priorities? And why do we think that that is an effective way of life?
We live in a society of high expectations, busy schedules, and deadlines. And many people have come to assume that the key to leading a productive and/or successful life is hard work and lots of it. Of course hard work is essential, but working harder and longer doesn’t necessarily mean better, more effective, or even getting more accomplished!
If you are tired, stressed, and unhealthy, do you think you are being the most effective or optimal employee, employer, or parent? But if you’re reading this, then you probably already know that these days you’re running on fumes, not fuel! So let’s see what we can figure out…
We so easily forget that to maintain productivity we must prioritize downtime in our schedules. This sounds so simple, but the benefits are huge including increased productivity, maintaining a healthy body, and reduced stress. Not only will this allow you to do more things that you love or spend more time with people you love, but it will also enable you to enjoy the things and people that you love.
Taking care of your body can be beneficial physically, emotionally, and mentally. Taking care of your body can come in the forms of being physically active and adopting healthy eating habits. Healthy eating habits can stabilize your blood sugar levels and reduce mood swings, can decrease the times you get sick, and help you feel better about yourself. Regular exercise can provide the same benefits, as well as give you a release of endorphins, help reduce tension, and lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol.
But these are all things you’ve probably heard a hundred times! So, in order to be effective, to fill in that scheduled downtime slot on your calendar you must be honest with yourself about what you want, what your priorities are, and what will work for you. Because what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for everyone.
First, schedule downtime. Right now. Do it. And make it a ‘no-excuses’ time slot. Maybe, as a rule, it’s Sundays spent together as a family (all work – office work, chores and homework – done by Saturday night). Or maybe it’s scheduling alone time! It’s about knowing what you need! You may feel you should use this scheduled time to do certain things – exercise, sort through old boxes, etc. But those should be other things that are scheduled in your calendar. I’m talking about effective, rejuvenating downtime. This is where you must be honest with yourself, and not succumb to what the latest magazine tells you that you should be doing. Think back to things you’ve done that you finished feeling refreshed.
It doesn’t have to take much. Maybe you will start with only two hours once a week – listening to music you love while baking your favourite food, or doing a yoga class. Maybe only one hour on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – a 20-minute walk and then a 30-minute bubble bath with a good book! When I refer to reading or relaxing in front of the TV, I do not mean catching up on the news or sorting through mail – nothing that is on your To-Do list! Catching up on the news is often tiring and frustrating, and means that you are concerning yourself with things beyond your immediate world, and right now you should be focusing on improving and enjoying your immediate world! Read a novel! Some of you may be inclined to use this newly scheduled downtime to go to the gym. For some of you this may be rejuvenating, but for others this may be a sense of duty and, therefore, just another thing that you have to do on your schedule. Taking care of your body is important, but not at the expense of mental stress.
Some people schedule workouts religiously into their schedule, believing that the harder and longer they train the better the results they will get for their health and their body. This does not sound like downtime. Just because you’re not in the office or watching the kids, it does not necessarily mean it’s downtime! So if this sounds like you, please schedule actual downtime! As an Olympic athlete I know that hard work pays off, but the mind and the body need time to recovery. When training for the Olympics, some days I had two different training sessions, but I always took 2 full recovery days per week (usually Thursdays and Sundays). Often those days had scheduled treatments or massages, but I was not training.
You may be fitting in regular exercise into your schedule by taking a 30-minute walk everyday. But if you are taking along your 2 children (both under the age of 7), then I commend you on your dedication to fitness, but still need to recommend some downtime!
For those of you who are workaholics and don’t think you can take that much time away from your laptop, set your watch alarm to go off every hour and force yourself to stand up, stretch, and get a glass of water or tea. This will at least give your brain a break and will surprisingly reinvigorate your mind and body.
For parents who work in or out of the house, the responsibility of raising happy, healthy and productive adults seems to increase levels of stress. Parents need to remember that children will emulate their actions, and will adopt the habits and lifestyles of their family. If children see their parents taking time to care for themselves, then as they grow up they will learn to take care of themselves as well.
Parents see value in signing their children up for classes and lessons, but fail to see the same value in allowing themselves the same outlets. Hobbies can help relieve stress, lift spirits and help maintain one’s identity as a person and not just a parent. But be sure to think about quality (not quantity) when scheduling activities – you don’t want to overload!
It’s about priorities! Do you want your children to grow up feeling stressed and rushed? Not having time to explore and enjoy their childhoods? Or do you want them to know the value of family time? And develop creativity? There are so many pressures for children to be enrolled in so many organized activities. And one of the hardest things for many people to say is “no”. But learning to use this little word effectively can help to open up more time for family, relaxation, health, and mental well-being for both you and your children.
The bottom line is that you must be healthy to be productive and successful in your passions, whether that may be work or family. And to be healthy you need downtime. “Downtime is to the brain what sleep is to the body,” said Dr. Rich of Harvard Medical School.
Smiles…….
Heather |
