Studies show that taking time for ourselves keeps away stress, depression, immune suppression, heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes, strokes, cancer, keeps us happy and joyful, and keeps our memory sharp and increases vitality… and slows the aging process.
Downtime is Important
In the west taking time for ourselves seems selfish and unimportant.
Yet taking time for ourselves is one of the most vital ways of staying healthy.
Plan Your Down Time – Have a routine, don’t let the day take over and run your life. Studies show that people are happier if they create scheduled downtime. I know a woman who takes Fridays off every week just to have one day to herself. Otherwise she’s always doing something for work, the kids, and relatives… and thus her day disappears. Write down a simple routine for your day and week and stick to it.
Keep it Downtime – Many times we plan for downtime but as soon as something comes up we allow anything else to take over and our downtime disappears. Don’t let that happen, your time for yourself is just as important as all the other things happening in your life… be slightly selfish in a sense that you take care of you first.
It’s kind of like flying in an airplane and the oxygen masks drop down. The flight attendant will instruct you to put on your O2 mask first and then help your children and the people beside you. Because if you don’t take care of you first you will not be around to help others.
And downtime is not just about sleeping… we all need lots of rest, it’s about having fun too.
Simplify Your Life – Most people have lots of extraneous things they think they have to do in life to keep moving along and be on target for where they want to be. But 80 to 90% of those projects have nothing to do with being happier and healthier.
If you came down with cancer your priorities would change drastically. Well lets change our priorities NOW and avoid being sick… lets enjoy life.
Start removing all the things you do that seem important… but are not important.
If you had cancer what would you see as important?
Now keep those few things… and subtract away all the rest… keep it simple.
Connect With Your Feelings – It’s so easy to disconnect with our feelings especially when we have 10,000 things going on. We become the auto-matron and thus we DO and don’t feel… and over time it takes a toll.
Sit down make a cup of herbal tea and take an inventory of what you are feeling deep down inside. You might be surprised.
Be Open Minded – Perhaps you have life long desires that need to be fulfilled. Desires that require that you to change… then let go.
Stop all the strict thinking, have compassion for yourself, allow yourself to see that if a simple desire makes you happy… then it’s very important.
Maybe for the first time you see something you want.
Perhaps it’s as simple as just doing nothing once a week and having a pajama day.
Or maybe you would like to go bike riding up in the rugged mountains.
Be open minded and realize your happiness is in your hands.
Think about it this way… if you new you only had 5 years to live what would you do?
Perhaps you have a bucket list that needs to be looked at.
Create Balance – Balance is key in all areas of life. Make moderation your mantra for life.
It’s easy to become a workaholic, getting home late and waking up early just to get to work early. I’ve met lots of people like this and sooner or later… they find themselves used up and overwhelmed with depression.
Keep everything in balance, anything done to an extreme sooner or later becomes stressful.
Ask for Help – Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest for the trees and we need help.
Find friends who are interested in you… ask them to remind you when you are out of balance. Having someone to talk to who see’s your life from a different perspective can bring life back to balance.
Also there are many great spiritual and psychological counselors around who can bring balance to your life.
Watch Your Thoughts – As Buddha said… we should only be judgmental of our own thoughts. If we are always negative we will never create downtime for ourselves.
A positive outlook = Love.
Love for the self, love for our life… love for the being we are deep down inside.
Get Outside – Many of us have indoor jobs under florescent lighting in small cubicles.
Sunlight is very important for keeping away depression and for living a balanced life.
Getting out and having fun in nature is extremely important. Have your downtime outdoors… sit under a tree, take a walk in the park, lay on the grass and watch the clouds roll by, sit in the backyard and watch the butterflies move from one flower to the next.
When was the last time you watched the clouds roll by?
For many it’s been a very long time… give it a try, you deserve downtime.
Exercise – Exercise is important, perhaps your time for exercise is the only time you have for get out and take that long walk, or push some iron, or swimming at the gym.
Perhaps exercise can be your downtime… I make exercise a part of my everyday life, it’s vitally important for health, vitality, good mood, and for balance.
Meditate – Everyday take 30 minutes first thing the morning to concentrate on your breathing, and 30 minutes around 5 or 6 PM. Go inward and allow the world to disappear for a while.
Studies show that meditation is a break for the mind, it’s shuts off the brain for a little while and restores the mind/body.
New studies show that meditation helps those who suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder… especially our service men and women.
Take a course in TM meditation go to www.tm.org or take a 10 Day Vipassana Meditation Retreat – they are FREE, including your meals and lodging.
Vipassana retreats are given all around the world for free…
go to http://www.dhamma.org/en/locations/directory to find a retreat near you.
Most of all love yourself… you are important.
Feel Free to Share – This information is meant to get you started… so you can do more research on your own… dig a little deeper and find what works for you. This article is for educational purposes only, I strongly recommend that you seek advice from your own GP, private doctor, or medical specialist for any ailment, illness, or medical condition.. this article not meant to be a scientific analysis in any way, shape, or form.
Dr. Paul Haider – Master Herbalist and Spiritual Teacher for over 20 years, helping people to recover and feel healthy. You can also find Dr. Haider on FB under Dr. Paul Haider, Healing Herbs, and at www.paulhaider.com – feel free to contact him any time.
Here is a short video bio – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK6Eg-xlX3U
Here is my Google+ address if any of you would like to connect. — http://plus.google.com/+PaulHaider–drpaulhaider
Dr. Paul Haider, Master Herbalist, HH, USA, Downtime, Stress, Hearth Attacks, Depression, Immunity, Plan Down Time, Keep it Down Time, Keep it Simple, Simplicity, Feelings, Open Minded, Ask for Help, Watch Your Thoughts, Be Own Minded, Get Outside, Create Balance, Meditate Exercise, Easy, Take the Time, Take Downtime,
Feel Free to Contact me, I love talking with people and being of service – email – drpaulhaider@gmail.com, – Skype – drpaulhaider – and my cell phone is (831) 869-9119 – I am in EST Time Zone.
Relax Into Success 