R & R

If you live in Western society, you've likely come across the message that being productive is essential. In some areas and professions, you might have even found there is a competition for how little one can sleep or how much one can do in a day. Given that productivity leads to money - for both businesses and individuals - it makes sense that this message has crept into the fabric of societal expectations. But productivity can also look like extra time studying at school, exercising, networking, or a whole host of other "to-do list" type tasks beyond work.

Now it's true that being productive can be - and can feel - great. Getting things done certainly helps us put food on the table, gives us a sense of meaning, keeps ourselves active and engaged, helps us feel accomplished and proud, and a myriad of other benefits. For some being busy can also have a handy side-effect if we are trying to avoid other tasks, other people, or other emotions.

All that said, today I want to push back on this message that productivity is the ultimate goal to pursue. We are human beings and frankly, we aren't designed to be productive in this way for all of our waking hours. Being in "go" mode all the time likely creates significant stress and wears our bodies down, often to the point of burn-out or a mental health disorder. Our minds and bodies (especially our nervous system) need those opportunities to slow down, get some space, recharge, and relax.

Now you might be thinking of sleeping when you consider recharging time and that's a very fair place to start (read the book Why We Sleep if you need more convincing for why this is essential). But allowing ourselves to relax in our waking state can be valuable too. This interesting article outlines some different ways our minds and bodies need to rest. Try taking a moment to reflect on whether you're experiencing all of these types of rest - if you're like most of us, you probably aren't.

I know taking that time to slow down, simplify things a little and get some R&R might be hard to feel comfortable with. If this isn't you, then that's great and the next paragraph isn't for you. But if you're struggling to accept rest into your life and have a strong urge to be consistently productive, here's a new perspective to take with it...

If you are intentionally resting, you are being productive. Strange thought, I know. Taking the time and effort to rest really is a very productive act in the long run if you think about it. It is through that rest time that your body and mind are recovering and cultivating energy. Especially if you are intentional in engaging with activities that actually feel restorative, that's a very useful way to spend your time in my opinion. It is an activity that reduces burn out (burn out would likely take far more time and be far more unpleasant) and ultimately those times you are being traditionally productive, you're likely doing a better job at it because you have more energy for it!

I should note that there is a reason I use the word intentional here. Scrolling on social media is only useful if you actually feel recharged after. Much of the time, doing so might just be neutral for our energy or even actively draining of energy. So be careful to notice what activites actually feel restful and which ones are just habits or offer an easy chance at numbing out. As I said, if you feel recharged after and you keep a healthy balance of different activities, whatever works for you is totally fair - scrolling included.

The article above might be a good place to give you ideas, but identifying what charges or drains your internal battery is unique to you. I'd encourage you to reflect on how your battery is impacted by various activities and go from there. But whatever activity you pick for your R&R, make sure you actually give yourself permission to enjoy it. After all, odds are if you're a human you sneak in rest opportunities sometimes anyways, so you might as well be intentional about it and give yourself the space to thoroughly enjoy those moments. See if you can strike a balance in your life between productivity and R&R. Trust me, your battery will thank you for it.