No, You Don’t Have To Do It All (And Actually You Shouldn’t)

It’s impossible to overstate the benefits of relaxation in mental health. The human brain is a muscle. It needs time to rest from its daily exertion, process the flood of stimuli bombarding its every moment, and integrate new information into your mental schema.

However, today’s busy culture makes you feel guilty when you aren’t constantly on the go. Hey – you biologically need time to relax your mind from stress. No, you don’t have to do it all (and, actually, you shouldn’t).

The Link Between Our Busy Culture and Mental Health

The culture you find yourself in influences how it impacts your mental health. For example, Americans have some of the worst health outcomes in the developed world, and it isn’t only the for-profit medical model that’s to blame.

Conversely, the European Union guarantees workers in member nations at least 20 days of paid vacation per year, and many countries go above and beyond this requirement. Doing so greatly safeguards citizens’ mental health.

The busy culture you find yourself in also bears much of the shame for the skyrocketing rates of chronic illness, anxiety and depression, and deaths of despair.

For example, an hourly worker struggling to get by may not have time off work to see a medical doctor, let alone a therapist, and may lack coverage even if they can sneak away. In despair, they attempt to self-medicate their overwhelming emotions with drugs or alcohol. They feel better temporarily – until these substances cause brain changes that lead to addiction.

Once people enter this downward spiral, they get little sympathy or help in many cases. Instead, they’re blamed for their condition, making them isolate themselves or spend their time only with other users. Job and relationship loss can follow, eventually leading to yet another death of despair unless someone intervenes.

Why Do People Ignore the Benefits of Relaxation for Mental Health?

Many people have, in short, forgotten that they are primarily social animals that evolved to support and uplift one another, not tug on “bootstraps.” A recent JAMA analysis by leading neurobiologists explores why deaths of despair continue skyrocketing in some countries, like the United States but not in 16 similarly wealthy nations.

The answer? Every other country has social programs to prevent people from falling into despair when life inevitably “happens.” They have national health programs that cover them when they get sick without fear of bankruptcy. They’re guaranteed job protections like paid leave, and getting an education doesn’t preclude them from buying a home or starting a family, thanks to overwhelming student loan debt.

As a result, some cultures are an “everyone for themselves” free-for-all of greed that leaves you scrambling to earn enough money so that society’s problems can’t touch you.

Instead, everyone should be working together to solve these collective issues – but doing so in a culture adverse to human rights and needs labels you a “pie-in-the-sky idealist.” That alone can diminish your mental health, making you feel alone in believing that people should be human beings first, and producers second.

4 Tips for Resetting Your Priorities and Relaxing Your Mind From Stress

How can you keep from losing your mind amid a toxic culture? Use the following four tips to keep your priorities straight and relax your mind from stress.

1. Ask, “will this matter?”

Before you freak out that your great Aunt Tilly is on the way over and you haven’t cleaned the house, ask yourself if her “tsk-tsk” will matter to you in five years. It may not even matter a week from now. However, that promotion you earned will still be paying dividends, so pick your battles and let the rest go.

2. Tend to your infrastructure first

There’s a lot of talk about revitalizing infrastructure. News pundits fail to realize that you can’t have sturdy bridges or functioning trains without healthy people to build and maintain them.

You are ultimately your own infrastructure. Dedicate at least a half-hour each day to getting a nice workout, eating a healthy meal, and generally taking care of yourself. Nobody will prioritize your health besides you.

3. Focus on those closest to you

Few people lie on their deathbed and say, “I regret not working more.” What people miss the most are the times they didn’t share with the ones they loved the most. Your relationships are what make your life rich – so nurture them.

4. Find your life’s purpose

Freidrich Neitchze once said, “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” There are plenty of happy servers awaiting their big Hollywood break or earning degree credits. Determine what inspires your passion and find a way to live for that.

No, You Don’t Have to Do It All

Today’s busy culture can make you feel guilty if you stop the hustle and grind for even one minute. However, relaxation benefits your mental health immensely. Follow the tips above to learn how to relax your mind from stress and take back control of your life. No, you don’t have to do it all – nor should you!

Featured image by mauro mora on Unsplash.

Author:
Beth

Beth is the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind. She is passionate about writing about diet, fitness, mental health and parenting. In her spare time, Beth enjoys trying out new fitness routines and recipes.