Life is so busy, and new things keep coming up for people to do. You have to work, sleep, spend time with friends and family, exercise, make food, do dishes, do laundry, etc. The list of things to do seemingly never ends, and that can feel overwhelming. It can cause people to feel guilty or ashamed for taking time to rest or engage in activities that they enjoy because they could be doing something “more productive”. While it is true that we only have so much time in a day, sometimes it is okay to not do anything productive. Let’s break it down:
1 week is made up of 168 hours.
Subtract the recommended 8 hours of sleep for 7 days a week (56 hours) = 112 hours left
Then subtract 40 hours for full-time work = 72 hours left
Then subtract the average 30-minute commute twice a day (1 hour every day) = 65 hours left
65 hours left to do the things you have to do and the things you want to do. That seems like a lot of time, but when you split it over a week, that leaves you with a little over 9 hours every day to do those things. Which is still a pretty big amount of time, but it can get taken up so easily, especially if you have kids.
There is no way you will always be able to get everything you need/want to get done in a day. It is really awesome when you have a super productive day and check everything off your check list that you set out to do. However, that level of productivity and energy is not always accessible to everyone, especially if you are neurodivergent, struggle with chronic illness, or struggle with your mental health.
Sometimes it is okay to do nothing. There have been plenty of times when I planned to get a lot of things done and then only did a couple of them because I needed that time to rest. Oftentimes, when that happens, I feel frustrated, ashamed, and guilty for “wasting time”. This most commonly happens when I haven’t been taking much time for myself to rest and do things for myself. When I am able to make time for myself to rest, this doesn’t happen as much.
Rest and relaxation are crucial parts of self-care. While cleaning and other household tasks are also things we do to take care of ourselves, they do take time and energy. It can be really hard to make time to do nothing because of the seemingly never ending to do list. Schedule a time to do nothing “productive” and just rest. Rest could be watching TV or a movie, reading, doing a hobby, or sleeping. Having at least a couple of hours every week or so where you’re not worried about getting something done will help you be able to accomplish all of your tasks more effectively. The amount of time a person needs to rest very much depends on the person and how much they have going on that week.
About the Author
Robyn Williams (she/her), M.A., LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in dialectical behavior therapy. Robyn works with teens and adults in a compassionate judgment-free manner to meet clients where they are in life. Robyn helps her clients develop the tools they need in order to live their life worth living, and find what means most to them. Robyn believes that while therapy can be intimidating at times, it can be a conduit for personal growth. Click here to learn more about Robyn’s experience and therapeutic approach.