Learning How To Truly Relax
With the winter holidays being right around the corner, it is a time where many of us take some time to rest and recharge ourselves, slow down from our usual daily lives, and take time to look back on the year. This is of fundamental importance for us to do, since we all have limited capacities of energy to use, which eventually has to be replenished.
However, as much as rest and taking time to recharge are important for our well-being, society nowadays has a generally negative or almost looked-down-upon perception of rest. A lot of culture nowadays that surrounds work and hustling centers around eliciting the constant subtle pressure of having to always work/be productive. As a consequence, whenever most of us feel the need to take a break or relax for a bit, many of us will find ourselves feeling guilty for wanting to relax, which further makes us stressed and creates a set of conflicting emotions within us.
With the ever-expanding presence of online work, social media, and general connectivity through online channels, it is now easier than ever to be 24/7 connected to all the happenings around the world, within your job, or to see how your friends are spending their time. While this connectivity does have its upsides, it has the major downside of making it very hard to disconnect from this outside world and really take time off for yourself when you need it, without feeling judged or guilty for doing so.
Therefore, how do we best make sure that when we feel the need to take a break and relax, we make sure that this break will really be as restful as possible, and how can we discover the methods of relaxation that work best for us?
These are all important questions that we will be looking into below.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T REST?
We all need some amount of tolerable stress in our lives, which in the end motivates us to act or can even save our lives in a dangerous situation.
However, being in a chronically stressed state where our fight or flight mechanisms are constantly activated is also not good, as permanent stress can cause serious damage and harm to both our mental and physical health. I have written about the effects of chronic stress before here.
Below are some common observations and symptoms associated with having a lack of rest:
Migraines and headaches
Forgetfulness and confusion
Chest pains and possible heart problems
Finding it hard to focus and concentrate at work
Having a lack of energy
Permanently elevated blood pressure
Sleeping issues such as insomnia or nightmares
Increased reliance on stimulants like drugs, alcohol, or tobacco
A change in appetite
Being sick or ill more often
Poorer quality performance at work or in school
Being irritated more easily or overreacting to minor annoyances
Loss of interest in being punctual or showing up in a presentable manner
Social isolation and withdrawal from social activities
Experiencing burnout
BENEFITS OF TAKING A REST
Taking the time to recharge can have an immensely positive impact not just on your productivity and effectiveness at work when you get back, but is also of fundamental importance for your mental well-being and happiness.
Below, you can find some of the main benefits associated with taking time off work:
Improved clarity of mind and thinking
Better decision-making
Becoming better at reevaluating our priorities and current routines
Encourages us to live more in the present moment
Reduces stress and anxiety overall
Improves our sleep quality
Having a healthier cardiovascular system
Improves our focus and concentration abilities
Increases productivity and our ability to get high-quality work done
TIPS FOR HOW TO REALLY RELAX
Establish the basics
Know which activities actually relax you (Eg: Going for a walk, taking a bath, listening to a favorite playlist, painting, etc.)
Assess your current restfulness state by asking yourself how rested you currently feel.
Listen to your body: What is it telling you that it needs right now? Is it rest?
Mindset shifts
Get rid of the idea that you have to “earn” your rest or downtime.
Remind yourself about how taking time for rest supports your work.
Realize that relaxing isn't a selfish activity but is something that all of us have to do.
Be intentional about your rest time (Eg: Don't say that you will rest and then spend the whole time thinking about what you still have to do).
Start seeing rest as an essential part of your well-being journey instead of an optional one.
Identify what aspects of your life you can control and what you can't to help you relax your thoughts.
Practical Methods
Try a social media detox for a couple of days or a week and assess how you feel afterward.
Implement a mindfulness practice into your everyday life like breathwork, meditation, or yoga, which allows you to live more in the present moment.
Get your thoughts and worries out of your head by writing them down.
Put down your thoughts and worries onto paper or outside of your head.
Visualize yourself being in a place that makes you feel the most happy and at peace.
Spend some time in nature.
Take part in any form of exercise that you enjoy and find relaxing.
Schedule regular breaks throughout your day.
Establish a ritual to signal to your body that it is time to relax and switch off from work.
Go on vacations or weekend trips if and when possible.
Ask for help when you need it and don't be ashamed about that.
KEY IDEAS
In todays blog post we have discussed the importance of taking genuine time off of work and most importantly how we can properly relax during this winter holiday season to return back to 2024 rested and recharged.
REFERENCES
Borges, A. (2020, August 20). How to relax when it feels impossible. SELF. https://www.self.com/story/how-to-relax-according-to-therapists
Allen, V., Jr PhD. (2023, August 22). 7 Therapist-Approved tips for anyone who sucks at relaxing. Wondermind. https://www.wondermind.com/article/how-to-relax/
Cirino, E. (2019, April 3). How to Relax: Tips for chilling out. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/how-to-relax#takeaway
Dibdin, E. (2022, October 24). 20 ways to relax & Unwind. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/health/ways-to-relax-unwind#bedtime-routine
