If you don't think downtime is important - or don't think you have "time" for it - think again!! Downtime is VERY important. We all need some "me" time to relax, rest, and rejuvenate.
I
know, I know…you don’t have the time to have “downtime,” or maybe you think you
have too much of it already (in that case, rethink your life/schedule). Honestly, downtime can be 10 minutes. It doesn't have to be long. Just take SOME time out of each day (hopefully longer than 10 minutes or maybe two 10-minute intervals) and you will see a difference.
Downtime means "stopping production." That’s as simple as I can put it. We need to take time out for ourselves. Have some “me time.”
You
may be thinking:
“Are
you crazy? I work 8-10 hours a day, then go home to make dinner and have this
and that and the other to do!!”
Or
“Hey,
I have kids, and they have baseball or soccer practice. Plus laundry and all the
other household chores I have.”
…or
any other excuse you used to make. Hey, I don’t judge. I’ve been in that boat.
However,
it is crucial that we get downtime. We must relax and rejuvenate. Anyone can do
it. ANYONE!
Research has found that taking
breaks can improve your mood, boost your performance, and increase your ability
to concentrate and pay attention. Let’s not forget about those who struggle
with “invisible illness” and NEED downtime so they don’t crash. It’s ok to say
NO, whether you have an illness or not. Remember that!
So…how
do we achieve downtime? We simply find something to do that relaxes us…or just
take a nap.
A
few ways you can achieve downtime:
1.
Sit on your porch (if weather permits) with a glass of wine or mug of coffee or
tea and just be.
2.
Read a book.
3.
Take a bath.
3.
Walk your dog (if you have one) or take a walk alone. (Not a “power walk” but a
stroll…stop and smell the flowers and enjoy your surroundings!!)
4.
Bake (if that’s something relaxing for you).
5.
Write in a journal.
6.
Write a letter.
Just
relax. Just be. Take deep breaths and ignore everything on your To-Do list and
chill.
I
love to relax. I was huge on saying, "I don't have time for downtime" because I
have four cats and three dogs (my “fur babies”), a husband, a house to take
care of (cleaning, etc.), and I own my own business. Oh yes, and I am a blogger
and a published author. When do I have time to relax?? Where is my downtime?
I
FIND time. I MAKE time. Though it may not be a lot of time, it’s just enough
for me to rejuvenate.
My
downtime includes:
~
Sitting outside on my back patio,
...with a glass of wine late
afternoon/early evening, or
...with a mug of hot coffee in the
morning or afternoon, or
...sometimes with a book and coffee or
wine
I
love to hear the birds chatting in the trees and watch them flit to the
bird feeder in our yard.
~
Walking my dogs. This is done daily, but we take our time and enjoy the sounds of
the morning.
~
Writing. Writing is relaxing for me. Typing this blog post right now is a form
of relaxation. I don’t usually have to think; I just write!
~
Reading a book, whether curled up on the couch or sitting on my back porch or
patio.
If you want to learn more about
downtime, I found a great article called 5 Reasons Why Downtime Is Important. It was pretty interesting.
If
you don’t allow yourself downtime/relaxation, you will soon enough crash and
burn. At that point, you will not be good to anyone, especially yourself.
No
excuses. Your kids and husband will understand. Your pets will understand. Turn
your phone OFF, step away from the computer (unless you’re writing to relax),
and CHILL!!
What do YOU do for
downtime?
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