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When Rest Stresses You Out

For the first time in 10 years, I find myself unable to rest and take a 7-day break to recover from an operation. However, in my head there are no thoughts of peace, but of anxiety accompanied by a reflection: What am I doing here, lying down, when I could be finishing all the essential tasks for this week? Has this happened to you?

Well, this is called “stresslaxing”, where taking a break causes you stress. Also known as “recovery stress” or “leisure stress”, it manifests itself in people in the form of anxiety or internal dissatisfaction when relaxing or taking time off. This is a personal effect that we self-inflict due to the belief we have about the need to always be active or productive. Taking a break seems like a waste of time or a drop in productivity.

This could be the reason why Mexicans do not take vacations voluntarily. According to a report by Expedia, 771% of working adults in Mexico say they need vacations, however, only 281% say they will take them in 2023. Could it be that Mexican employees are experiencing “stress relief”?

What are the characteristics of this phenomenon?

  1. The person experiences anxiety or discomfort when feeling like they are wasting time relaxing or taking time for themselves, since they are not working on what is causing them stress and have a lot of pending things to do.
  2. He feels that leisure activities are harmful to himself, as he should be spending his time on productive activities. For example, instead of reading novels, he should be reading scientific books related to his profession.
  3. Avoid social gatherings if there is no productive purpose behind them. You are more interested in networking than in empty social gatherings that leave no long-term benefit.
  4. You experience a feeling of guilt or failure when you don't do something that contributes to your own personal development, such as learning or enhancing your knowledge. That is, you feel that you are not doing something of value.
  5. They are afraid of doing anything that will reduce their level of revolution, dynamics or potential. They fear that by relaxing they will lose the rhythm of the results obtained. They prefer activities such as going for a run rather than simply relaxing at home watching a movie.
  6. They do low-impact activities, such as mindfulness, yoga or meditation, for fear of stopping. They often live on autopilot and find it difficult to leave their comfort zone, even if they are not necessarily in a good state.
  7. They tend to ruminate on their pending activities and fail to enjoy the present moment. They are always thinking about the future, avoiding being present in the now. So when they rest, they are actually still thinking about work.

Why do we feel this way? In this reality, it is not only the person who is constantly under demand for work and an accelerated pace of productivity. It is also society and life as we know it, which demands that we be on autopilot to meet the expectations of success that they have for us.

Here are some tips to help you fix it:

Know yourself and recognize when anxiety takes over you. Make it conscious by verbalizing it, either out loud or in your internal dialogue, and this will allow you to control it.

Carry out activities at your own pace, without exceeding speed or demand. Stay productive to avoid having to redo any process. Do not spend more time than necessary on your activities and concentrate to avoid losing productivity.

Make a list of things you enjoy and what their purpose is. This will allow you to have focused alternatives that justify these spaces of leisure or fun and do not cause you remorse.

Disconnect from the daily grind and make room for free time and rest, which are absolutely necessary to recover and return to work with more energy.

Disconnect from reality with activities that you enjoy and that make you feel fulfilled, that are not related to work, but that require a lot of energy. If you are channeling your energy properly, you will not feel guilty.

Practice conscious breathing. Just breathe calmly and give yourself a chance to focus. It's normal for thoughts to come to you, but don't fight them. Just observe them and see where they take you, then let them go.

Thank you for reading, Dr. Roch.