Burn but do not burn out: the subtleties of effective recreation

How to rest so that in a short time to restore resources? I share (non) secret tips.

Divide

Sometimes it seems that in order to have at least half of what is planned, you need to always be aware of events and do something constantly. Maybe you study and after couples do freelance projects. You may work, but you love your job so much that instead of the planned eight hours, you work all 14. It is possible that in your free time from studying or working you hastily take additional educational courses. Scenarios can be different, but as a result, we have the same thing - our phones never turn off, we are able to unsubscribe to work messages even at midnight, and the boundaries between weekends and weekdays are blurred.

Here's your first rule - rest and work should be separated. Understand, this is difficult, because how can you turn off the phone, for example? Does it even have a power button? Of course, we are joking, but the phone is the enemy of a healthy holiday. Let's avoid the fact of working calls and messages. In addition, you will already be in the information space, which the brain will continuously filter even in the subconscious. If your work involves a constant stay "in touch", you should choose the least active hours for relaxation.

Minimize interaction with the phone. You don't need to scroll the ribbon just to scroll, or to look at the screen in "hatiko" mode. In order not to miss something important, turn on the "do not disturb" mode on the smartphone. In the settings you can add exceptions that are not affected by the mode. These can be: selected contacts who can still send you messages or call; reminders from selected programs; calendar task notifications and alarm clocks. In this case, you will not miss anything important and at the same time, you will not be distracted once again.

Dividing is not just about phone and calls. Try to avoid talking about work tasks with friends and family. You do not need to scroll in your head all the painful things when you are deliberately relaxing. The fact that you do not analyze the correctness of your work tasks while reading a book, the world will not turn upside down. However, the book in hand can be much more interesting, that's for sure. By the way, about books. Reading is another great way to relax and reduce stress. According to a study conducted by the University of Sussex, even six minutes spent reading a paper book reduces heart rate and helps to relax. Stress levels are reduced by as much as 68 percent!

With a book, you immerse yourself in history, separating yourself from the world around you. So what about interesting fiction before bed? We have for you a few book recommendations that are easy to read and great for relaxation.

• "City of Girls" Elizabeth Gilbert
• "Fan" Rainbow Rowell
• "Brooklyn" Colm Toibin
• "Where did you go, Bernadette?" Maria Semple
• "The Bookworm's Diary" by Sean Beitell

Combine

Remember the minutes of physical education at school? Then during the lesson or during the break, the whole class did a warm-up for the teams of teachers. This banal habit was to teach us that activity, mental and physical, must be combined. It may seem to you that after a day spent studying or working, you have no strength left for anything. Especially for jogging, gym or dancing. However, this type of recreation can fill you with energy and cheer you up.

You don't have to play sports you don't like. Sometimes exercising or walking is enough to make your body feel better. There is a third type of activity - spiritual. To finally reboot, you can combine it with mental and physical activities. For example, meditation is the work on your spirituality. No ancient philosophical teachings! Music for meditations, a comfortable position and nothing that could distract you - for a start it is enough to try to dissociate yourself from thoughts. To better delve into meditation, but at the same time not to spend too much time on it, you can try to use applications for this.

• Headspace - the application will sound everything you need to do. For beginners, the exercises last 10 minutes.
• BetterMe - it has meditations according to the methods of famous practitioners and even fairy tales at night!
• Calm - offers meditations of various durations and has a free 7-day course for beginners.
• Smiling Mind - is a free and easy-to-maintain application for practitioners of all ages. 

Recharge

To gain strength and energy during the long-awaited rest, you need to identify two unknowns. First, what really tires you? Work and study are broad concepts. Choose the factors you suffer from the most: lack of sleep, the need to communicate with strangers or the need to sit indoors most of the day. Push it in the opposite direction.

The second factor is the things that inspire you personally and give you energy. We all have them. For some it is a trip, even a small one - to another part of the city. For some - an interesting series, a pot of hot tea and a blanket. Pay attention to even the smallest details. A room temperature or scented candles, for example, will really help you relax. We also have the ability to charge people. And if for an introvert communication with new acquaintances is simply unacceptable as a way to relax, then for an extrovert - the best solution. Regardless of the type of personality, we all need words of support and attention from our loved ones.

Four whales have a good rest

German sociologist Sabina Sonnentag and her colleague Charlotte Fritz have identified four components of a successful vacation (yes, the holiday may also fail). It should consist of relaxation, control, a successful hobby and alienation from work. We have already talked about dismissal. So remember to put down the phone and forget about work at least a little. Control means that during the rest time you choose to whom or why you want to devote your energy and attention. The work schedule often controls us, not us. For example, we need to wake up when we need to, not when we want to. Your leisure time is also an area of your personal control. Relaxation is a mix of active and passive rest. The main thing is that the first does not tire you, and the second does not bother you. It happens that the usual lounging takes more energy than it gives.

So, this relaxation is not for you. Every hobby in which you feel good and confident is successful. Conventionally, the first lesson in pottery, in which you did not get a single clay pot, and it made you quite angry. Such leisure will not bring the expected recovery of resources. Positive energy and recovery are the things you should get from your favorite hobby. So what to do after work and/or study to relax? What you love! Relaxing under a blanket on the couch can be as successful as a wild dance marathon at a music festival. Each of us has our own ideal scenario. We only show you how to make it more effective to avoid fatigue and burnout.

So divide work and rest, relax, control leisure and do hobbies. And, of course, sleep well. Healthy sleep is the head of everything!