Feeling Guilty About Resting
We live in an era marked by speed, hyper-productivity and the obsession to succeed. Adhering to these patterns, consciously or not, involves submitting to stress. Under pressure and with the idea that no matter what we do, it will never be enough, it’s easy to feel guilty about resting.
This way of thinking is a distortion of reality. Moreover, this is precisely the reason why the discomfort sets in when we do not meet productivity deadlines. Basically, thinking like this only confirms an imposed discourse that ends up being normalized.
Feel guilty about resting, why?
Expressions such as “time is money”, “optimize time”, “not wasting time” are not at all innocent. They point to a discourse that seeks to maintain itself by using all the tools at its disposal to achieve it. So, from a certain point of view, it is “normal” to feel guilty about resting.
This is so because there is an internalized mandate: “you must always do something useful with your time “. Fortunately, today we are also beginning to recognize that extreme productivity is not the most adequate.
A person feels guilty about resting when they believe they are breaking a “sacred” rule. Rules should be considered legitimate when they contribute to well-being. Otherwise, then operates a blind and self-destructive obedience that it is necessary to rethink.
Likewise, it is common for people to work harder to cover up other aspects of their lives. If other dimensions do not work well, occupying your time allows you to avoid confronting uncomfortable aspects of life.
The weight of the environment
One culture can see something as a defect and not another. It is the same with the social, political or family context. To put it another way, a standard is just a point of view on something : it is not the only one, nor necessarily the best.
Hence the need to be critical of the standard, to learn more about its meaning, its need and its value. Creative hobbies can now be defined as any activity motivated by a personal interest in growing up outside the workplace.
However, in ancient Greece, this was the time used by philosophers, among other things, to reflect on the important questions of life. These questions concerned society, art, health and politics, among others.
There is also ample evidence that when someone in charge uses their freedom, they get better results. In other words, the ideal is to act autonomously and not by conditioning oneself out of fear or prejudice.
A vicious circle that is multiplying
The World Health Organization considers stress to be a real epidemic of this century. This can be explained, in part, because the idea of e s’ busy st permanently became an obsessive behavior. We mistakenly believe that we will be better off if we follow this rule.
Some people are not only irrationally demanding of themselves, but also expect others to do the same. Added to this is the fact that even the way to rest is regulated. It is good to allow yourself the opportunity to be alone, to be bored and to do simple or even unnecessary activities.
It is even essential. Compulsive behavior sooner or later leads to feelings of sadness and continuous stress. Some studies show that over 70% of people give up socializing in person because they prefer to do something “productive”.
Stop feeling guilty to rest
The frantic race to achieve “perfection” makes you forget that rest is necessary to maintain physical and mental health. Some feel guilty about resting due to the widespread idea that even in your spare time you have to earn money.
Experts emphasize that rest is a prerequisite for creativity. It is also necessary to be truly productive. In addition, they extol the benefits of the practice of meditation and contact with natural environments.
A break away from the screens brings us closer to a more authentic reality. A nap or a moment of meditation gives access to a new way of observing and being in the world. Performance declines when a person forces himself to work continuously.
Exhaustion occurs if we don’t get enough rest and go beyond reasonable limits. Rest is a biological and psychological necessity to be able to exercise any activity. It is also the only way to balance the loads of everyday life.
Our thoughts Rest the body and mind, have a deep and restful sleep, enjoy the silence, a few hours of solitude … This is almost a luxury.
