rest is productive!
In this fast-paced world, it is hard to take a moment, take a breath, take a pause, and just BE. When asking my friends the kinds of journals they want to read, everyone seemed to be looking for some thoughts on productivity culture: this need to constantly be doing things.
In the stage of life I am currently in, a 20 y/o college student, there is a pressure to achieve, to set yourself up for the future, and to produce constantly. In a university environment, it is easy to get into the mindset of “this person can do it, so I should do that and more” or “I need to get everything done today otherwise I haven’t used my time well.”
I’m currently taking a Public Health class called Meditation, Mindfulness, and Health. The course focuses on scientific studies about mindfulness’ effects on health. On a typical day, we meditate for a few minutes and then we review the studies in great detail. Last week, our professor emailed us saying that he was going to dedicate the whole class on Tuesday to a mock mindfulness retreat - meaning 1 hour and 20 minutes dedicated to meditation. When I saw this originally, I was excited to skip that class and get more work done; however, I ended up in the lecture hall anyway, so I went with it. When class began, there were about 20 people out of our 150+ person class present. As I was looking around, I knew exactly why there was such a small turnout: like I did, people saw this as an opportunity to go do work, be “productive,” get as much done as possible. After reflecting on the experience, I realized how unfortunate it was that I believed that the hour and 20 minutes of connecting with myself were a waste of time. I needed that time to rest; in fact, I need that time and more to rest every day - we all do!
As humans, we physically, mentally, and emotionally need rest. If we don’t give ourselves an intentional rest, our bodies will take one anyway, and typically in a way/in a place you want it the least: academic burnout before finals, physical burnout leading to injury, etc. And of course, this idea doesn’t cover everything surrounding productivity culture, but it is a start.
I challenge you to make time for intentional rest each day, and you do not need to feel guilty for it. You can set alarms for it, mark it in your schedule, or try to be intuitive with your day. It’s okay to use an eraser on your plans. We’re human! You may just find your productivity to increase if you feed your body & mind’s need for rest.
Here for you always :) Be kind to yourself!
xo,
kec
