Why You Should Embrace Leisure Time

Non-stop hustle doesn't bode well for our mental and physical health, and it can impact our relationships, as well.

Take two minutes to read, explore, and reflect. By Wendy Rose Gould & Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Top of Mind Why You Should Embrace Leisure Time   It goes by many names—hustle culture, the grind, chronic productivity. Whatever you call it, our obsession with maintaining full throttle has become pervasive, and to some degree, even glamorized. For example, going above and beyond in the workplace is often rewarded, leisure time is collectively viewed as "unproductive," and busyness is a status symbol accompanied by bragging rights.    This non-stop hustle doesn't bode well for our mental and physical health, and it can impact our relationships, as well. Perhaps most ironic of all, research finds that overworking ourselves to the point of burnout is actually detrimental to our overall productivity.   Conversely, slotting downtime, taking vacations, and giving ourselves permission to rest or enjoy our hobbies—whatever those might be—can be a boon to all facets of our life. That includes our personal relationships, our mental health and physical well being, and, yes, our professional success.     Whether we see leisure time as wasteful or not—and I would argue whether we enjoy it or not—incorporating this in our life is critical,"  — MARIE-HELENE PELLETIER, PhD, MBA  What This Means For You It's important to re-frame your feelings toward leisure time. Whether your downtime is hitting the gym, reading a book, or binging a new series on Netflix, taking routine breathers is imperative to your overall health and happiness.   Try to erase those feelings of guilt that might bubble up when being "unproductive" and instead remind yourself that embracing downtime will pay for itself in all areas of your life.    On the Bright Side Ways to Stay Positive This Week What's Inspiring Us Yoga is a unique practice because it combines mental awareness with physical movement and breathing exercises. It's also highly accessible since it can be practiced anywhere. If you're new to yoga, start with this 20-minute video created specifically for beginners. Products to Help You Feel Your Best A craft project is a great way to move away from a screen and use a new part of your brain. Try something like DIY macrame, rock painting, or cross-stitch. Eager to dive into a great nonfiction book? Peruse this list of the best books in 2021 (so far) put together by Barnes & Noble. Read These Next How COVID-19 Put an End to Glamorizing the Grind READ NOW Common Signs of Burnout READ NOW 4 Ways to Use Leisure Time to Cope With Stress READ NOW Spread the Light Share the newsletter with someone you know to make their day a little brighter. SHARE We're open to suggestions! If you have any feedback about this newsletter, let us know at feedback@verywell.com.     You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Healthy Mind newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. If someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here!   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 Verywellmind.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy