Try to remember: When was the last time you didn’t really do anything? And when I say nothing, I mean nothing. Not something a little bit, not something you will tell me that you don’t get tired, but nothing. You have really devoted a little time to resting, relaxing, emptying your mind from everything you have to try to put in a class. If I guess properly, you can’t even remember when. In a world that runs and measures human value based on how much you succeed and complete everyday, stopping, even at a time, seems impossible, impossible … looks like a defeat.

If you do not stop, however, you will soon realize that this is the true defeat for your body and soul. “Biologically speaking, we are not designed to be in constant action”, Tells the self in self Bonnie zuckerauthor of ‘A Perfectionist’s Guide to Not Being Perfect’. “Our nature does not match with an alternating cycle of many hours of work and a few hours of sleep, without intervening anything else. This is really contrary to our biological needs».

The ‘forced relaxation’ Hears an oxymoron phrase. But in our daily lives, as it is formed today, sometimes it takes a little push to really relax. Even if you feel it is difficult to do, it is very important to learn how to do it.

Without relaxation, neither the body, nor the brain work smoothly, explains Dr. Zucker.

“Focusing on the present is the antidote to stress. We are anxious when we think of things that could go wrong in the future. Just living the present helps us to relax and focus on what is right in front of us“, Proposes the expert.

Just living the moment and relax is a “gift”, says Dr. Zucker, adding that relaxation is a key part of human nature and lists tips that will help you “download speed”.

  • Chased the remorse

“We are used to being constantly busy“, Points out the clinical psychologist, Adia goodenThat is why our inactivity or relaxation causes us an embarrassment. “We live in a society that appreciates productivity and, many times, incorrectly defines the value of a man».

“A mentality oriented to achievements characterizes as a waste of time to do nothing“, Says Dr. Zucker.

Dr. Neal-Barnett suggests that you try to challenge the thoughts that cause you guilt. Ask yourself: ‘What if I am not productive 24 hours a day?». Are you afraid of the opinion of others? You may identify your value with your productivity. This exercise discovers what Dr. Neal-Barnett calls “basic fear”. Once you land at the core of fear that feeds on your guilt, you will be able to deal with it, questioning your inner monologue with the help of a therapist, through practices of self -esteem, such as a diary or spending time that you will simply do nothing. Treating guilt can ultimately make the relaxation more reconstructive and less energetic, says Dr. Neal-barnett.

  • Leave space to difficult feelings to express themselves

Stress, sadness and professional exhaustion can swell when you are trying to relax, notes Dr. Gooden: ‘Sometimes we use employability as a way to avoid things we really need to deal with». It may seem easier to keep you just moving than to stop and deal with difficult emotions.

When you do not relax, you lose the full range of emotional experience, says Dr. Neal Barnett. Joy tends to be distorted by the liabilities. The same can be the case with emotions such as sadness and anger: they may be set aside when you do not allow space to manifest. But attention is not lost. They are there and they are undergoing.

Even the expression of harsh emotions is an important part of not only the processing of emotions but also of relaxation, stresses Dr. Zucker. If you constantly distract your attention from anything that bothers you, not only will you not solve the problem, but you will never really relax.

  • Redefine the way you treat your personal time

“By giving yourself a little time, in which you just exist, without necessarily doing something, you are more likely to approach the man you want to be, because there is no stress from the constant struggle to prove something“, Says Dr. Gooden. “We are the best versions of ourselves when we are relaxed. Investing in personal time will help you be the person you really want to be».

Realizing that your personal free time allows you to be your best self will help you redefine it as an essential and not selfish and non -productive.

  • Add structure to your relaxation

Do you find it difficult to just sit on a sofa and looking at the wall? I understand you. You can shape your relaxation through activities that ensure it. Some studies have shown that Small periods of meditation increase creativity, suggesting that the brain thinks better when it is calm. In general, consciousness exercises can facilitate relaxation. “A yoga attitude or meditation will help you feel that you are doing something while securing calm minds“, Says Dr. Zucker.

  • Do something – if you want – that you really enjoy

Rest does not necessarily mean to do nothing, but to get satisfied with anything you do. It sounds simple, but it’s not. The next time you have free time, think about what would make you feel really good. Not what do you think you have to do. Whatever you choose, try to focus on the moment and enjoy it.

“We enjoy things much more when we close the mind switch and focus only on the here and now. The perfectionism and the need for productivity, which blur the real relaxation, have no place here. Wellness you will feel will help you turn this practice into a lifestyle“, Concludes Dr. Gooden.