It's good to be lazy

We are working longer hours, under more pressure and leading a life that leaves us at breaking point. But those who manage to make countless work and social appointments daily are admired. When someone says they've worked for 60-70 hours over a week we see them as successful. We are continually active but only mildly effective, and we are wasting valuable life energy on unimportant things. If you push yourself to the limit, day in day out, you will wear out sooner.

Unfortunately over time we have forgotten how to let go of the insignificant tasks that place undue stress on us and require much of out time and energy. We have forgotten how to concentrate on only the important things. It's good to plan and work for the future, but we also need to slow down and enjoy being in the present as well as before you know it, another year has whizzed by.

Let's just have a look at the effects of stress on the body. It's not just having a stressful job but rushing around not giving yourself adequate rest that can cause these to happen.

• Your body ages faster
• You become more susceptible to illness due to a weakened immune system
  
• Blood pressure rises increasing the risk of circulatory disease, heart attack and stroke
• Memory grows worse due to rises in cortisol levels (a stress hormone)
• Not giving yourself time to relax means certain parts of the brain can be damaged in the long term. Your brain ages faster

Stress warning signs

• Tight neck and shoulder muscles
• Catch colds and flu from people easily
• Constant headaches
• Weight loss or gain
• Sleepy in the day, awake at night
• Increased pulse rate
• Grinding your teeth in your sleep
• Cold and clammy hands
  

Relaxation and even occasional laziness are your body's way of balancing itself out. Your pulse and breathing are normalised and blood pressure is regulated. Your immune system, which under stress is weakened by the constant high level of cortisol, recovers.

But rest and relaxation don't happen automatically. All our worries, fears, work problems aren't always easy to put aside. Because of this, relaxation must often be planned into our daily schedules.

But today, deadline pressures and never-ending to-do lists seem to leave no room for relaxation and contemplation. But if you make sure to balance out times of stress and make room for rest will you increase your chance of a long and healthy life.

If all the above rings true you will either have to change the circumstances that are placing you under stress or change the way you deal with it. Differentiate important activities from the unimportant. Mark them red, absolutely essential to achieve that day, amber, nice to achieve that day, and green, can achieve whenever. Have a main to-do list and select no more than six things from that list to do each day so you don't feel overloaded. We are only human and can only fit so much into one day!

Include into your day, time to sit and day-dream, even if it's for just 30 minutes. Have separate breaks where you do not work while you eat or even read. Find the quietest place you can and eat slowly, calmly and enjoy what you are eating. Allow yourself contemplation time after wards.

If you have a stressful job in the week then the weekend should be used for regeneration and recuperation. In reality though this is often not the case as we try and pack in as much action and chores as possible leaving us returning to work just as exhausted. Plan in lazy time! Using relaxation helps conserve energy. Here are a couple to try:

• Short relaxation break: rest your elbows on the table and cover your eyes. Clear your mind and try not to think of anything. If this is hard, try concentrate on your breathing. Breathe slowly in for 4 and out for 4.
  
  
• Learning diaphramatic abdominal breathing – click here to download pdf file

Enjoy being lazy and relaxing!


Emma Boffo, Personal Trainer
07956 315851

www.BoffosBootcamp.com
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