Do you ever wish that things would just slow down? That you had a little more time for yourself to recover from life moving a million miles a minute? The thing is, this has become such a normal feeling to so many of us. Some days, I look at my to-do list and wonder how I will get it all done. Many days, I don’t get it all done. And you know what? That’s okay. In fact, the to-do lists need to become shorter next time. If you can relate, it is time to learn how to relax and let go of productivity.
How did we get here?
Somewhere along the way to growing up, we learned that being busy is a good thing. If you were sitting home alone, you were missing out on fun with friends. If you were relaxing and watching TV, you were rotting your brain. You were lazy. *Cue the guilt setting in.* But, if you were at sports practice or summer camp or working, that checked the box. That was busy and productive. Impressive and acceptable.
Maybe this rings a bell for you too, or maybe something entirely different led you here. It could be that you had a rough childhood, and you will do whatever it takes to have a better life. Or, it could be that you formed a Type A personality through all the praise you received at work or school. The list of possibilities could go on.
I can’t make any assumptions about what led you to this place and when. But, you can figure it out. Try journaling about it. To get started, try answering the questions: When did you start the habit of being busy all the time? What was your routine like? When did you start feeling the need to be busy?
Productivity culture
Productivity culture is another culprit. If you are still not sure how you landed here, it could be based on your environment. Your surroundings can shape you, and we are living in a world of productivity culture. People are constantly posting what they are doing on social media. Spend a few minutes scrolling, and you may wonder why you aren’t doing something too. Whether it is fun with friends, business advice, or artsy photography, there is activity happening online all the time.
The accessibility to seeing what others are doing has made it so easy to compare ourselves. We see celebrities and CEOs talking about how hard they work. Early mornings into late evenings of work are glorified as show off their G-Wagons and expensive vacations. We want that too, so we will work hard too. But, when is it too much? When is it time to take a step back and learn once again how to relax?
Why you should learn how to relax
If you are constantly in the mode to “go, go, go,” it can become exhausting. It can also lead to burnout and regret. This is not to say that you should sit around and relax all day every day! But, there is a balance that can be found where you can be an extremely productive person and find time to take a break.
In fact, it is more productive sometimes to take a break. In this article about work life balance, I explain the importance of prioritizing your personal interests in addition to your work. Why? Because if you don’t, it can lead to burnout. And guess what? Burnout is not productive! If you truly burn yourself out, it can take months to recover during which you will have hindered productivity. This is a clear message from body to mind – you need a break because you haven’t taken one in some time.
How to relax & let productivity go
So, let’s avoid burnout and learn how to relax! If you have already done your journal entry to discover how you got here, you have taken the first step. If you haven’t, take a few minutes of your productive mindset and start writing!
The next step: stay offline for a little while as much as possible. See how it affects you. Peer pressure is something that follows us into adulthood. So if we are surrounded by productivity, we will tend to be productive too. By placing a limit on your exposure to productivity culture, you may stop feeling the constant urge to be part of it. You may also find that you have more time than you thought you did! Bonus.
Next step: make a conscious choice to quit the association between relaxation and laziness! Relaxing in moderate amounts is actually really healthy for you. It allows your body and mind to take a break and recover from all your hard work. And if you don’t do this, you likely won’t be as productive anyway. If you have ever stayed up late working and taken three times as long to get something done, you know what I mean. You have reached your threshold for the day of exerting energy and the productivity meter has fallen low. So, if you really want to be productive, take the time to relax.
The final step is to actually make the time to relax. Make it a priority, and hold yourself to it. Taking time for self-care to recharge is never a bad investment. If you need to calendar it, do it. If you need to schedule a spa day, a nature walk, or a movie marathon with a friend, that works too. You can let go of the need to be productive all the time! You can find a healthy balance. And if you don’t, your body might do it first.