Podcast Summary
The Importance of Rest and Relaxation: Taking time to rest and relax, in various forms, is crucial for mental and physical health, and counteracts the negative effects of busyness on our well-being.
Our modern society values busyness as a sign of success and importance, but it's essential to prioritize rest and relaxation for our health, well-being, and productivity. In her new book "The Art of Rest," Claudia Hammond argues against the notion that being busy is a badge of honor and encourages taking time out without feeling guilty. Rest can take various forms, from lying down to being physically active, and it's crucial for our mental and physical health. As host Rangan Chatterjee puts it, "when we feel better, we live more." In this episode of the "Feel Better Live More" podcast, Claudia shares insights on the science behind our struggles to relax and the benefits of rest for our overall well-being. So, take a break, put your feet up, or go for a walk, and give this conversation a listen. Remember, Viva Barefoot is offering a 20% discount for all podcast listeners, so check out their website for more information.
Perception of being busy vs. reality: Despite our perception of being constantly busy, surveys suggest otherwise. Prioritize rest and accept that to-do lists will never be fully completed.
Despite the perception that people are busier than ever in the 21st century, time use surveys suggest that this isn't necessarily the case. However, our perception of being constantly under pressure and the blurring of lines between work and personal life due to technology can make rest and relaxation feel like a luxury that's always out of reach. The pressure to meet high personal standards and the ease of access to endless information and inspiration through the internet can add to this feeling of being overwhelmed. Ultimately, accepting that our to-do lists will never be completely done and making rest a priority, even when it feels like there's always something else to do, is essential for maintaining both physical and mental well-being.
The French Paradox: Prioritizing Rest for Better Well-being and Productivity: The French prioritize rest during lunch breaks, leading to better well-being and productivity. Emulating this approach could help us break free from the pressure to be constantly busy and improve overall health and performance.
Our perception of success and productivity has shifted, with busyness now being equated to importance and status. This is evident in the way we present ourselves on social media and the judgments we make about others based on their apparent level of busyness. The French paradox, where the French seem to enjoy seemingly unhealthy foods yet experience fewer negative health effects, offers an intriguing contrast. This can be attributed to their approach to lunch breaks, where they prioritize rest and disconnect from work, making it a time for relaxation and enjoyment. This societal norm, which values rest, may hold the key to improving our overall well-being and productivity. However, the pressure to be constantly busy and productive can make it challenging to adopt this approach, and it will take time to shift societal perceptions and norms.
The importance of rest and relaxation: Taking regular breaks can improve productivity and wellbeing, yet societal pressure often eliminates them. Cultural perspectives on rest and productivity vary. Incorporating rest into daily life leads to better communication, productivity, and overall wellbeing.
Rest and relaxation are essential for effective communication and productivity, yet they are often overlooked or dismissed in today's fast-paced society. The speaker shared an experience of a leisurely day in France, where they had ample time to connect with others and reflect, which contrasted sharply with their experiences as a GP in the UK's National Health Service (NHS). In the NHS, GPs are often overwhelmed and stressed, leading to dissatisfaction and a lack of connection with patients. Research shows that taking regular breaks, even short ones, can improve productivity and wellbeing. However, societal pressure to be more productive and do more often leads to the elimination of breaks. A study mentioned in the conversation found that people's perceptions of rest and productivity vary depending on their cultural background. For instance, Americans and Italians might view the same busy lifestyle with different eyes. Overall, the importance of rest and relaxation cannot be overstated, and incorporating it into our daily lives can lead to better communication, productivity, and overall wellbeing.
Discovering Restful Activities: Walking, Reading, and Listening to Music Top the List: Walking, reading, and listening to music are the most restful activities according to a study. Social media and the internet did not make the top 10 list, emphasizing the importance of personal discovery for finding restful activities. Cultural differences in attitudes towards work and rest also influence how individuals prioritize self-care.
Rest is a highly individual experience and people have different preferences when it comes to finding restful activities. In a study, psychologists at Durham University found that activities like walking, reading, and listening to music were among the most restful for participants. However, social media and the internet did not make the top 10 list. This suggests that while people may engage in these activities to unwind, they do not necessarily find them restful. It's important for individuals to discover their own combination of activities that leave them feeling refreshed and restored. The study also highlights cultural differences in attitudes towards work and rest, with Americans tending to associate long hours with success, while Italians view rest as a sign of wealth and achievement. Overall, the research underscores the importance of understanding the unique ways in which people recharge and prioritizing self-care.
Dealing with modern life admin tasks: Deleting email app helped regain time and reduce feeling overwhelmed. Be mindful of tech's impact on rest and well-being.
Technology and modern life admin tasks, despite making our lives more convenient in many ways, can make us feel more restless and add to the sense of being constantly busy. These tasks, which often involve screens and require filling out forms or communicating with others, can feel like work and detract from truly restful activities. The guest spoke about how deleting her email app from her phone helped her regain some time and reduce her feeling of being overwhelmed. Overall, while technology and modern life admin tasks can be beneficial, it's important to be mindful of how they impact our rest and well-being.
Checking Emails Constantly Harms Productivity and Well-being: Limit email checking during rest periods, set realistic response times, and prioritize health over work demands for increased productivity and well-being.
Constantly checking emails, especially on smartphones, can be detrimental to our productivity and well-being. While it may seem like we're saving time, we're actually depriving ourselves of restful moments and subjecting our minds to constant stress. This can lead to decreased productivity and increased fatigue. The speaker suggests that we should aim to take breaks and limit our email checking, especially during moments of rest like commuting or weekends. He also emphasizes the importance of setting realistic expectations for email response times and prioritizing our health and well-being over work demands. The speaker's book provides research and practical steps for incorporating more rest into our lives and finding a balance between work and personal time.
Taking small breaks for relaxation can boost mental health: Regular restful breaks, even small ones, can improve mental health and overall well-being. Utilize activities like gardening and reframe seemingly wasted moments as rest opportunities.
Taking regular restful breaks, even if they're small, can significantly improve mental health and overall well-being. This can be achieved by finding an activity that brings relaxation, such as gardening, and framing it as rest time. Additionally, noticing and reframing seemingly wasted moments as restful opportunities can lead to a greater sense of calmness and permission to rest. Many people may feel guilty about taking time for themselves, but it's important to prioritize mental health and make self-care a priority. By recognizing and utilizing small restful moments, individuals can find more balance in their busy lives.
The paradox of social connections and alone time: Our brains require social connections for survival and well-being, but we also need alone time for rest and rejuvenation.
While human connections are essential for our mental health and well-being, people also crave time alone for rest and relaxation. The top activities people engage in for rest are often solitary ones, such as reading or taking a bath. This paradox can be explained by the fact that while we are social beings, we also need time to recover from social interactions and recharge individually. As the quote from "The Inner Level" by Richard Wilkerson and Kate Pickett highlights, our brains have evolved to require social connections for survival and well-being. However, the opposite of loneliness is not always being surrounded by others, but rather choosing to be alone for rest and rejuvenation. This balance between social connections and alone time is crucial for maintaining good mental health.
The importance of both connections and solitude: Humans need social connections and solitude for a fulfilling life. While social media and work demands can lead to overexposure to others, solitude can boost creativity, decision-making, and overall well-being.
Both connections with others and solitude are essential for a fulfilling life. While we are social beings who crave relationships, it is also important to have time for ourselves for recovery and introspection. Our evolutionary past suggests that humans have always sought both connectivity and solitude. However, in today's world, we may be overexposed to other people through social media and work demands, leading to a need for recovery from other people. Solitude can be a valuable tool for creativity, decision-making, and overall well-being, especially when we have a strong foundation of relationships and community.
The Importance of Daily Self-Care: Daily self-care practices like meditation, music, and walks can boost mental and physical health. Despite the benefits, it's important to allow oneself to rest and prioritize self-care even when busy.
Small, daily self-care practices can significantly improve both mental and physical health. The speaker, a proponent of meditation and the app Calm, emphasizes the importance of making time for rest and relaxation, even in the midst of a busy schedule. This can include activities like meditation, listening to calming music, or even taking a walk. The speaker shares her personal experience of writing a book about rest while struggling to implement the very practices she was advocating, highlighting the importance of allowing oneself to rest and the benefits it can bring. The scientific backing for these practices, including improved focus, reduced stress, and better sleep, adds credence to the importance of prioritizing self-care.
Music's Power to Relax and Unwind: Music, especially slower tunes in a major key, can evoke emotions, alter brain activity, and serve as a tool for relaxation and stress relief
Music is a powerful tool for changing moods and promoting relaxation. It can act as a quick escape from daily worries and stressors. The type of music that induces relaxation varies from person to person, but generally, slower music in a major key is more calming. Research shows that music has a strong emotional draw and can alter brain activity. In stressful situations, people tend to choose calming music to help them recover. Music can be used strategically to unwind after a long day and prepare for more social engagements. It's essential to listen to music that personally resonates with you for the best results. Music can serve as a performance-enhancing drug, helping you unwind and then energize you when needed.
Choose activities for relaxation: Selecting intentional activities like music or TV can enhance relaxation and reduce stress levels.
Incorporating the right activities into your daily routine, such as listening to music or watching TV, can significantly impact your relaxation and stress levels. The key is to choose these activities intentionally and with positive feelings, rather than as a distraction. For instance, creating personalized playlists for different occasions or watching TV with companionship can enhance relaxation and provide a sense of connection. Additionally, the type of music or activity you choose can also make a difference. Research suggests that choosing music for relaxation rather than distraction can have a positive effect on cortisol levels and overall relaxation. So, make your self-care time count by selecting activities that resonate with you and allow yourself to fully enjoy them.
Impact of TV watching on wellbeing: Excessive TV watching can lead to lower life satisfaction and depression, while too little can also negatively impact wellbeing. Being mindful of choices and intentional with TV viewing can enhance wellbeing.
The amount of time spent watching TV can impact one's wellbeing. A Brazilian study found that people who watched more than five or six hours of TV a day had lower life satisfaction and were more likely to have depression. However, those who watched less than one hour a day also reported lower life satisfaction. Watching TV can provide a form of distraction, social experience, and a way to understand different perspectives. However, it's important to be mindful of the choices we make when watching TV. Watching passively, without intention, can lead to wasting time. Instead, choosing to watch something deliberately and sharing the experience with others can enhance our wellbeing. Being conscious of the content we consume and the time we spend watching can make our TV viewing a more intentional and enjoyable experience.
Approach leisure activities with intention: Choose media for relaxation, lower cortisol levels, and prioritize activities that bring rest and enjoyment.
We should approach our leisure activities, such as watching TV or reading, with intention and mindfulness, just as we do with books. By choosing what we watch or read deliberately, we can enhance the restorative benefits of these activities and reduce the potential for distraction. This idea is supported by research, which shows that the way we consume media can have a physiological impact on our bodies. For example, choosing media for relaxation can lower cortisol levels, while using it for distraction can have the opposite effect. Additionally, it's important to remember that social norms and biases can influence our perceptions of certain activities. For instance, in the past, reading novels was seen as a waste of time, particularly for women. However, over time, literature has come to be valued as an important and noble activity. Similarly, watching TV or videos may be criticized today, but it's a hugely popular pastime that offers both distraction and relaxation. Ultimately, we should choose the activities that work best for us and prioritize those that bring us the most rest and enjoyment.
People's aversion to being alone with their thoughts: People often avoid boredom and discomfort by engaging in distracting activities, even if it's not in their best interest, and this tendency might contribute to various addictions and unhealthy habits.
People have a strong inclination to avoid being alone with their thoughts, and this aversion can lead them to engage in activities or behaviors that might not be in their best interest. This was demonstrated in a study where participants were asked to sit in a room and do nothing, but a significant number of them chose to give themselves electric shocks instead. This behavior can be linked to the prevalence of technology in our lives, which provides constant distraction and prevents us from facing our thoughts. This tendency to avoid boredom and discomfort might also contribute to various addictions and unhealthy habits. Interestingly, a study found that most people were not actually bored during the periods when they reported doing nothing, but rather, they feared boredom. As a result, we fill our time with activities, making it less restful and potentially detrimental to our well-being. This phenomenon is not limited to adults, as children are also increasingly deprived of the opportunity to experience boredom due to the abundance of organized activities.
Exploring the benefits of restful activities: Restful activities like coloring, doodling, and listening to music promote relaxation, enjoyment, and shared experiences for individuals of all ages.
Restful activities, such as coloring, doodling, and listening to music, can have transformative effects on individuals and provide a sense of relaxation and enjoyment. These activities are not just for children, but can also be beneficial for adults. The trend towards adult coloring books and vinyl clubs highlights the importance of communal experiences and the value of engaging with creative and artistic pursuits. The rules of these clubs, such as listening to an entire album without interruption during the first side, encourage deep listening and appreciation for the artistry and flow of the music. As society becomes increasingly isolated, the popularity of these shared experiences may continue to grow.
Exploring the cognitive benefits of daydreaming during music and reading experiences: Daydreaming during music and reading can lead to memory consolidation, thought organization, and creativity, rather than being a sign of distraction
Engaging with music, whether it's at a vinyl club or through personal listening, can provide significant cognitive benefits. This includes daydreaming, which is a natural response to music and other forms of art, and is not necessarily a sign of distraction or lack of focus. In fact, daydreaming can be beneficial for memory consolidation, thought organization, and creativity. During a conversation about favorite records, the speaker shared their fondness for "Polar Bear" by a jazz group and Ryan Adams' album "Gold." They emphasized the importance of sharing music experiences with friends and the value of allowing the mind to wander during these moments. The speaker also shared their past experiences with classical music concerts, expressing their initial frustration with their inability to fully concentrate. However, they later learned that mind wandering is a normal part of the experience and can lead to daydreaming, which can have positive effects on the brain. Similarly, reading can also serve as a catalyst for daydreaming, and instead of seeing it as a distraction, we should recognize the potential benefits. Research suggests that daydreaming may help consolidate memories, organize thoughts, and foster creativity. In essence, embracing daydreaming during music and reading experiences can lead to cognitive benefits and should not be viewed as a sign of inattention or lack of engagement.
Exploring Different Forms of Rest: Engaging in various activities like reading, bathing, or mindfulness can serve as effective forms of rest and relaxation, providing a distraction from daily worries and an opportunity to recharge
Engaging in various activities, such as reading, taking a bath, or practicing mindfulness, can serve as effective forms of rest and relaxation despite requiring some level of mental effort. These activities provide a welcome distraction from daily worries and offer an opportunity to escape from one's own life, even if only for a short period. Author Claudia Hammond came up with the idea for her book, "The Art and Science of Rest," after observing the results of a study on relaxation and recognizing the societal need to value and prioritize rest. These activities, which force us to focus on something other than our daily stressors, ultimately help us switch off and recharge.
The Value of Rest and Self-Care: Taking time for self-care activities like baths can significantly improve overall well-being. Prioritize rest and relaxation, and businesses may start to follow suit.
Taking time for self-care activities like having a bath or going for a long walk can significantly contribute to our overall well-being. The discussion highlighted the popularity of baths among young people and the importance of recognizing the value of rest, which is gaining more attention in both personal and professional spheres. The speaker shared a personal experience of looking forward to a bath after a long hike, only to find it taken by someone else, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing rest and relaxation. The speaker also expressed hope that businesses will begin to take rest seriously and incorporate it into their policies, as sleep and rest have started to receive more recognition in healthcare and public discourse. The speaker's book on rest aims to inspire individuals to prioritize rest and elevate its importance in their lives.
Finding Balance: Rest and Productivity: Regular breaks, proper lunch hours, and recognizing the importance of restful moments can improve morale and productivity. Employers can enable these practices and technology can help make workdays more efficient.
Finding a healthy balance between work and rest is crucial for overall well-being and productivity. While the idea of a four-day workweek may seem appealing, it comes with potential risks, such as having to work longer hours on those days to make up for the lost time. Instead, small changes like taking regular breaks, having a proper lunch hour, and recognizing the importance of restful moments can significantly improve both employee morale and productivity. Employers play a key role in enabling these practices, and technology can help make workdays more productive and efficient. Ultimately, everyone should find their own prescription for rest and prioritize it, as taking care of ourselves is essential for getting the most out of life.
The illusion of having more spare time: To prioritize rest, carefully consider which activities to give up and focus on those that add value and contribute positively to mental health.
It's an illusion to believe we'll have more spare time in the future. We tend to overestimate our ability to organize ourselves better and underestimate our current commitments. To make time for rest, we need to carefully consider which activities to give up. It's essential not to give up restful activities that contribute positively to our mental health. Instead, focus on activities that truly add value to our lives and help us feel rested and refreshed. Claudia Hammond, a renowned author and broadcaster, emphasizes the importance of prioritizing rest and self-care. To connect with Claudia, visit her website at ClaudiaHammond.com or find her on Instagram and Twitter @ClaudiaHammond. Remember, taking 15 minutes each day for a restful activity can significantly improve your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. For more resources related to our conversation, check out the show notes page at dot2chategy.com/95.
Create new habits and make positive changes with 'Feel Best Friend 5': 'Feel Best Friend 5' is a powerful book for improving health and lifestyle, available in various formats, encouraging reviews and spread, and emphasizing personal responsibility for wellbeing.
"Feel Best Friend 5" is a highly effective book for creating new habits and making positive changes in your life. The message is simple but powerful, and it's already helping many people make helpful changes. The book is available in various formats and in multiple countries, and it's a great resource for anyone looking to make 2020 their year. The author encourages listeners to leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast to help raise its visibility. Ultimately, the author emphasizes that each person is the architect of their own health, and making lifestyle changes is worth it when you feel better and live more. If you're looking for a simple plan to help you achieve your goals, consider checking out "Feel Best Friend 5."
