People Without Leisure: Why It Is Problematic

There are many people without leisure because they choose not to have it. They deliberately try to avoid relaxation and are rarely “disconnected” from their work or the rest of the world. Whether you identify with this type of personality or not, it is more common than you think in the busy world we live in. Some people are afraid to stop and feel uncomfortable when they have nothing to do. They do not know what it is like to just be, and let time pass in peace and harmony.

Some will say that it is about personality. That is to some extent true. Some people are more active and like that the schedule is full. They constantly come up with new ideas, create and plan. But this tends to be problematic.

Some people simply cannot tolerate inactivity because it can lead to personal reflection. Connecting to your inner self is not always a pleasant or comfortable experience. Having a constant full schedule is one way to avoid having to spend time with yourself.

People without leisure

These days, you constantly hear people say things like “I do not have time to do anything” or “I do not have enough time to do everything I need to do”. Packing days full of tasks and duties has become the norm. In fact, almost everyone boasts of having too many plans, as if it is proof that they are important.

Being busy and stressed is just the way it is, it is the way it is “meant to be”. We have begun to look at idleness with suspicion. We tend to judge a person who does nothing, slows down, and allows himself to have free time.

In any case, those who take the time to relax and rest do not have a problem. They are not irresponsible hippies. Instead, they are individuals who care about their quality of life. Thus, it is those who are obsessed with their to-do lists and color-coded calendars who really have a problematic behavior.

When doing nothing leads to anxiety

The phrase “doing nothing” is a bit misleading. Sometimes it can refer to cutting down on your duties and not doing what others expect of you. When you use it to talk about leisure, however, “doing nothing” actually means doing something necessary, healthy and even productive.

• Reading, resting, having a good conversation, and enjoying the surroundings make doing “nothing” meaningful and transcendent . Nevertheless, these activities cause anxiety in many people.
• People without leisure, who always have something to do, do not know how to relax.
• Simply sitting down, without any obligations to fulfill, can cause anxiety.
• Not only do they feel unproductive, but overwhelmed by the idea that they are doing something wrong or that they are disappointing someone.

• Leisure is also an invitation to find your way back to yourself, which is a habit you can benefit from if you do it every day. But as we mentioned earlier, there are many who do not feel comfortable finding themselves.

Sometimes the problems that hide in the dark corners of our inner attention need. Ignoring them will not make them disappear, but neither will burying yourself in heaps of work.

Busy world, busy mind

It’s easy to get caught up in a lifestyle where being busy is normal. It is problematic for many reasons. On the one hand, we normalize an inability to have free time. It also lays the foundation for anxiety.

• When some people go on vacation, they try to stay busy. It makes them feel competent and even productive. As a result, they believe they are doing “what they are supposed to”, according to the norms of the extremely demanding society.

• These situations put your brain in high gear. You can not relax, as if you are allergic to inner peace and do not know how to enjoy the moment. After all, anxiety only takes into account what is going to happen and the pressure of tomorrow. 

People without leisure time cannot understand that rest is fundamental to their health

Do not let the appearance of people without leisure fool you. Just because they work all the time, does not mean they are more productive. They are not smarter or happier because they spend more time doing activities. In fact, a life with too many plans can lead to unhappiness and mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. 

Leisure is healthy. Taking a few moments each day and doing nothing can be very helpful. Do not wait for your next vacation to relax. Two or three days of “quiet time” can help you reset, reduce stress and enhance your creativity. “Doing nothing” has a positive effect on your mental health.

It is time to radically change your mindset. Constantly doing things can work against its purpose because you need quality time for yourself. If you are always busy, you will never discover the wonder of doing nothing.