Being busy is seen as a badge of honour! Busy people are perceived as being successful, driven, in demand and hard working. Some people feel embarrassed and lazy to say that they have taken a lunch hour or left work on time, and taking a nap, or watching TV especially during the day is considered slovenly. Consequently rest is something we do if everything else has been done, or we are forced into it due to physical problems.
But rest, day dreaming, appropriate relaxation is crucial and essential for us to ensure good mental and physical health and ultimately be more productive. Without it we are at risk of being burnt out and ineffective. Taking a lunch hour or going for a walk in the middle of something than drains your brain allows you to tackle it with fresh energy and creativity.
In her book – The Art Of Rest Claudia Hammond lists the top 10 activities which help people rest – reading, having a bath and watching TV were amongst them. However going on social media was not considered restful and yet it’s something that many of us do the most during our downtime.
I believe that rest is something that must be built into every day whether that be listening to music, meditating or watching a film. For the sake of our health we need to switch off our devices, put in boundaries where needed and aim to change the stigma of doing less.
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