All Work and No Play
Students and workers are expected to spend every waking hour of their lives dedicated to their education or job. Obviously, we should all put in as much work as possible to achieve our goals and find success. However, this expectation is a fallacy. If a person puts their entire being into one particular thing, especially something that is difficult or menial, they will burn out. There are some who can accomplish this, but it is hard to find anyone who has come out unscathed. A lot of justifications for this extreme work culture come down to “work now and relax later” or “other people would love to have an opportunity like this.” Don’t let these over-simplifications get to you; get your well-deserved R&R now AND later.
Treat Yourself to R&R
Whether you’re entertaining yourself with a hobby, hanging out with friends, or spending time with family, you need some down time. R&R (rest and relaxation) is such an important facet of life. If you don’t have a hobby, you should find one. Reading books, thrift shopping, listening to music, video games, sports, arts, or anything that interests you. Immerse yourself in a community that accepts you. That could be a friend group, coworkers, fellow students, family members. Having frequent social interaction gives you all kinds of good chemicals in your brain. It’s the same result as doing something satisfying, like a hobby. Use these fun and relaxing activities not only as a reward for a hard day’s work, but as a privilege you deserve as a human being.
Balance Is Key
Recharging your proverbial battery is extremely important! That’s what sleep is for: charging your physical battery. Ideally, you sleep 8 hours a day. That’s a third of every day just sleeping. Work or school take up 8 more hours of work (minimally, if we’re not talking about overtime, homework, or studying). The rest of the 8 hours in your day will be filled with driving, cooking, chores, shopping, etc. Where is the time for relaxation? You need to make the time for yourself. Honing a tight schedule can be stressful. However, you can make reminders and promises to yourself and others that you’ll work x amount of hours and R&R y amount of hours each day!
