Do you always feel guilty about taking a break? The “one lazy day a week” recharge method shows that doing nothing is the best self-care
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Summary
- Studies from Yale University and the field of psychology have shown that scheduling a lazy day where you do nothing can trigger alpha waves in the brain and release dopamine.
- Doing a 2-hour digital detox and saying no to pointless socializing can help prevent burnout and ease the chronic stress so many people live with now.
- A low-pressure stay-at-home “lying flat” plan can mean ordering delivery for dinner and staying in pajamas all day. The key is saving mental energy so your body and mind can fully relax.
- Shifting your anxious mindset around rest is crucial for self-care. Rest doesn’t need to produce anything or serve a goal to help your brain reset.
When the weekend comes around, do you often feel too tired for a packed schedule of outings and just want to stay in bed, only to feel inexplicably anxious because you’ve “done nothing”? Research from Yale University and other psychology studies has found that deliberately setting aside a “lazy day” to do nothing can prompt the brain to release dopamine, helping an overworked mind fully recharge, sparking creativity, and significantly easing anxiety.
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Why do we need to deliberately set aside a “lazy day”?
Modern life moves at such a fast pace that many people fill even their days off with mental to-do lists. Psychology research suggests that a moderate amount of laziness can help prevent burnout and chronic stress. Only when we stop processing complex information can the brain enter a true recovery period. This state of mental blankness encourages the brain to produce alpha waves, brain waves that appear only when you’re relaxed yet awake and can bring a sense of calm. It also explains why sudden bursts of inspiration often come while we’re daydreaming or taking a shower.
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5 Ways to Completely Switch Off Your Brain
1. Aimless daydreaming: Put down your phone and book, don’t think about tomorrow’s plans, and simply lie in bed or on the couch, letting your mind wander freely.
2. Digital detox: Try turning off all social media notifications for a weekend afternoon, don’t respond to nonurgent work messages, and give yourself back to yourself.
3. Say no to draining social plans: Be brave enough to turn down gatherings that will only leave you emotionally exhausted. Save your precious weekend for the people you feel most comfortable around, or simply spend it alone.
4. Have a no-prep dinner: When even deciding what to eat or which ingredients to buy feels like too much trouble, just order delivery or make a bowl of your favorite instant noodles. Save yourself the effort of washing up and tidying afterward.
5. Fully relax in your pajamas: Cancel any nonessential plans to go out. It’s okay to stay in your bedroom all day and let your body enjoy the freedom of being unrestricted.
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Say Goodbye to Rest Anxiety: You Don’t Need to Feel Guilty About Doing Nothing
Often, what keeps us from relaxing isn’t a lack of time, but “rest anxiety.” We’re so used to measuring a day’s value by what we accomplish that if we don’t finish a book or check in at an Instagrammable cafe, it can feel as though the day was wasted.
Rest doesn’t need to serve any purpose. Allowing yourself a day with no productivity is a luxurious yet necessary form of self-protection. The next time guilt quietly creeps in, remind yourself that you’re rebooting a body and mind that have been running under high pressure.
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