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Leisure, on the other hand, is separate from work. It should be unpolluted by work, meaning that you don’t check your emails or answer work calls during this time, nor do you worry about how your activity might impact your work life. The purpose of leisure is not to make you bett...
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Downtime is healthy for the mind, and it’s also an incredibly fertile neurological state. When you’re not directing your brain to do a specific task, your mind activates the default network.
The default mode network, or DMN, becomes active when we allow our minds to wander. When the DMN is engaged, it works on our memories, putting past events into context and making moral evaluations about things that have happened. It also imagines the future, tries to understand the emotions of others, and reflects on our own emotions and decisions. The default network is crucial for empathy, for self-reflection, and for Theory of Mind, the ability to imagine what others may be thinking.
Research shows employees who feel more detached from their jobs during their time at home are emotionally healthier and more satisfied with their lives.
Set aside a chunk of time every day to do nothing productive. Take a walk without a destination and without worrying about the number of steps you’ll take.
Work is necessary and can be fulfilling when you feel a sense of purpose in what you do, but it is not the justification for your existence. Remember that we are not biologically and evolutionarily “born to work.”
Anthony de Mello wrote: “Charity is really self-interest masquerading under the form of altruism.”
Committing a selfless act triggers a release of endorphins, the neurotransmitters that help block feelings of pain and even create a euphoric sensation.
Leisure becomes stressful when you subconsciously believe you are wasting money by not being productive.
Creativity cannot be institutionalized.
Hard work is admirable, but statistics show it is not a magic potion that will transform your life.
