The Art of relaxation

21st century medicine for a stressed out generation

Lying in bed on morning, I had a hard time getting up. It was my day off and just wanted to snooze for a few more minutes.

Personally speaking, life is just too busy. Even those who are retired would say the same. There is an endless lists of to-do’s, should-do’s, have-to-do’s, don’t-want-to-do’s, don’t-have-time-to-do’s, wish-I-could-do’s and so on.

We are taught from an early age that we have to grow into a productive member of society. If not, then we are a burden on society and are not of any value. High school kids are constantly asked what career path they want to follow. Heck! They don’t even know what they want for dinner but under pressure they choose a path. From here the journey of constant career changes as the search to find self, passion and purpose begins.

Life is under a tight schedule. Every minute of the day is slotted and accounted for. From morning routines, school/work schedules, chores and household responsibilities, night routines, people are kept on a treadmill of productivity.

Add the demand for more toys, better toys and the upkeep of said toys, the stress level of the current generation is testing the health care system. The rising stress level has also given rise to two other concepts, mindfulness and self-care.

Living in a society that values doing, productivity and action with a successful life, the concept of relaxation feels almost like a guilty pleasure. Just sleeping in and planning to do absolutely nothing for the day feels like grounds for an arrest warrant. We are told that time is money so a day off can send our bank accounts into serious deficit.

We have lost the art of how to truly relax. Give yourself permission to have a day off. Remember the classic 1986 movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? While I wish I could have had that much fun, the need for more ventures would actually improve productivity.

Taking a day off is not laziness but recharging and when recharged, people are way more efficient, brighter and a whole lot more pleasant to be around.

Turning off problem solving mode and just enjoying another activity can be just what the doctor ordered. So what does a day of doing nothing look like.

First, mentally prepare yourself for the day. By this I mean that there will be no feeling guilty. This is a…