Tip of the Day- Have a Do Nothing Dayby Alison Palmer | More from this Blogger 09 Feb 2007 09:49 AM Maybe it was all the stairs yesterday, but today I'm feeling a little worn and tired. I'm finding it hard to get through the normal routine of my day. I'm sluggish and mentally drained, so today I'm scheduling a "Do Nothing Day". It may not be today, but it needs to happen soon. It's going on my calendar. I'm practicing my response: "No. I'm sorry, I'm busy that day." I don't have to tell them I'm busy doing nothing, but that's exactly what I plan to do.  Stress is a killer, and I mean that literally. Every once in a while we need to put it all aside: all the cares, the worries, the have-to's, and the should-do's. Sometimes we need to pay attention to what our body really needs: rest, peace, relaxation, meditation, a recovery period. When a person is exposed to too much stress, they suffer from sleep disturbance, aches and pains, depression and anxiety. Stress also antagonizes a myriad of other health problems. I once worked with a nurse who introduced me to the concept of "jammie day". She scheduled a day once a month where she didn't get out of her PJs. She didn't get out of bed until she was darn good and ready. She ate whatever sounded good. She read a book. She took a bubble bath (and then put on clean jammies). What she did not do was turn on the television, answer the phone or door, pay the bills, or run to the store for milk. She took a day for herself and found she could deal with the rest of her days much better that way. Now, I recognize that some of us have young children. I'm not suggesting we neglect them or ignore their needs. Notice I said needs- not wants, desires, and whims. Tell them what the day will hold and let them take a day off from life as well. Leave the dishes in the sink. Take the phone off the hook. Cancel the play date. Schedule yourself a do nothing day for your health. Wave goodbye to your school age children with a coat over your PJs, and then go back to bed. Tell the home schooled children you're having a read-a-thon and no one is allowed to talk, except to share a favorite passage of the book they're reading. Another tactic would be to trade Do Nothing days with a friend or neighbor. She takes the kids one day a month and you take hers one day a month. Do whatever it takes to do nothing for just a little while. Related Articles: What to do With Larger Chunks of Alone Time Job Burnout can Kill Your Health Learn more about Alison Palmer  Writing is Alison's favorite past time, but you can also frequently find her reading, playing piano, cooking, taking long walks, sewing, or playing with her family. Relevanthealth tags User Comments Amative (61) 30 Apr 2008 10:48 PMI think that getting kids to join you in your do nothing day is a great idea! Seems that today children have as much if not more on their schedules as the adults! Community Tags prioritizing, rest, stress relief, scheduling, time Discuss this article
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