We all want to enjoy our lives to the fullest, but in these times of having it all, many people have crammed so much activity into their lives that there is little room for enjoyment left. The process of having it all has eliminated the end product.
Enjoying life takes time to appreciate the Natural and cultural richness around us. In leisure hours, instead of planning several activities, try to just plan one and enjoy it. Take a walk with friends in the park and slow down enough to absorb the surroundings. Really pay attention to the conversation. In short, be in the present, not planning your next move. Medical research is providing the disturbing data that the lack of interpersonal contact in modern life, especially in the United States, is creating a culture of loneliness and is becoming a risk factor in diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, depression and Alzheimer’s disease progression. Save the time you spend with your friends and family.
Another alarming statistic of modern US life is that families seldom take the time to enjoy a meal together. Re institute this practice in your family. Find one day a week at least when the members come together to talk and share their experiences. Plan a meal that everyone likes, but if there is no time to cook, get take out and focus on building and maintaining the family bonds.
Free time used to mean catching up on R an R, or rest and relaxation. Rest is as important to health as any other component, maybe more. People can and do live without food for weeks at a time, but after 4 days of sleep deprivation the individual has lost substantial ability to think clearly and even move correctly. It is estimated that a person deprived of even one night of sleep, poses the same threat behind the wheel of an automobile as someone who has ingested a fifth of liquor. This is one of the dangers behind insomnia, which wears away a person’s mental ability and physical coordination.
Rest is important for mental clarity but also for maintaining out bodies. Sleep is the time when damage done to the body, such as overused muscles, is repaired. Insomniacs often take longer to heal after major surgery than their counterparts who got seven to nine hours of sleep regularly. Nappers often have better memories and remain more alert than people in their age group who eschew naps. Statesmen such as Benjamin Franklin and Franklin D. Roosevelt advocated napping. Don’t think of napping as downtime. Not only can it restore alertness, it is often the case that, when the mind and body are at rest the mind continues to process information. Individuals have reported that going to sleep with a specific issue on their mind can be beneficial in problem solving. Sometimes the solution has become apparent upon awakening.
Relaxation, not just sleep, is a rejuvenating process. Taking the time to read a book, listen to music or just pet the dog, will often clear the mind and restore clear thinking. The basics of enjoying life are activity, relaxation and companionship in equal amounts. Don’t be concerned that while you are lounging in a hammock on a sunny day, your competitors are surpassing you. Remember Hemingway’s adage, “Living well is the best revenge”.