For so many of us busy young professionals (YPs), our downtime is both precious and important. We all know that taking time away from work, from the social scene, and from our numerous other obligations for some healthy me-time is essential to our overall well-being. But, do you ever find yourself at the end of a day off or weekend feeling even more exhausted and sluggish than when you first exclaimed ‘TGIF!’? That’s because some versions of downtime can actually be counter-productive, demotivating, and may actually cause us more harm that good in the end. In chatting with fellow YPs, we’ve learned of certain downtime activities that actually work against us, and those that are much more helpful in relaxing and refreshing us:
Get off the couch
There is a fine line between relaxation and laziness. One of the most common qualms we found expressed by fellow YPs about counterproductive downtime concerned good old vegging. While crashing on the couch can often feel like a desirable idea at the end of an exhausting day, doing so for an extended period of time can actually make you feel worse. There is something very addictive about stagnation, and once hunkered down in couch-and-TV-mode, it can be really hard to get back up. To fight that magnetic force keeping you stuck to the lazy-boy, set a time limit for your DVR and DVD fun. Plan ahead to watch an episode or two of your favourite series… not a whole season. Throw on the latest flick and when it’s over… get up! It may sound so simple, but without the conscious decision and effort to limit that sedentary time, catching up on the latest blockbuster can very easily turn into a late night movie marathon or weekend-long nap-fest. We’re not saying such activities are bad, but if you find that all of your downtime tends to go by in a bleak and boring blur of downloads and down comforters, you may want to reconsider how you are spending that valuable free time.
Get off the sauce
Another common complaint from fellow YPs regarding ill-used downtime pertains to a different type of blur – the intoxicated variety. Sure, we all like to “blow off a little steam” after a long week, and for many of us this often involves partaking in a nice relaxing glass (or two, or three) of our favourite alcoholic beverage. Again, there’s nothing really wrong with this typical activity, but for some YPs we don’t always indulge so “typically.” In a past Notable article, we discussed the negative consequences often suffered by a common YP character known as the Weekend Warrior, or that person who works hard all week and parties hard all weekend. Even if you make an effort to take time away from the party scene, those who spend much of their downtime relaxing via the powers of the sauce can still suffer the negative effects of the Weekend Warrior lifestyle. In order to utilize downtime in a way that will return us to the hubbub of YP life feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, avoiding binge drinking (and all the dehydration, calorie consumption, and energy depleting that goes with it) is a must.
Productive relaxation
At first, the concept of “productive relaxation” may sound like an oxymoron. We don’t mean that downtime should be spent being busy per se, but rather that relaxing need not mean idling. There are certain downtime activities that can aid in relaxation and leave us feeling better refreshed both psychically and mentally. For example, spend your next free evening or weekend indulging in some low-impact physical activity like hiking or yoga, or pampering your mind with a new creative project, reading the latest best seller, or meditating. And of course, there is always the spa. Whether you splurge on decadent professional treatments or simply dip into a warm bath at home, there is no better way to truly rejuvenate than to treat your body to some regular warmth and cleansing – and your mind to some peace and quiet. So go get a massage or take your dog for long, scenic stroll, and consider yourself perfectly productive!
