Put the ‘ME’ Back in ‘Time’

Quick Win

Slow your roll — and the pace of modern life — with built-in downtime. It can counteract information overload and help you manage stress.

Try This Today

1. Schedule it. Looking at your weekly calendar, identify a 15- to 20-minute block of time each day. It can be the same time every day or can vary as needed.
2. Clear the decks. Shut your laptop, turn off your phone’s ringer and notifications, and put away your calendar and to-do list (even your mental one).
3. Remember the three Rs: relaxation, reflection and renewal. Use your block of time to daydream, work on a puzzle, write in a journal, listen to music you enjoy or go for a leisurely stroll — anything that lets your mind relax.

Why

Unstructured time may feel unproductive, and that’s the point. Mental downtime is good for you, helping to ease stress and support well-being. Among 909 Finnish teachers, average age 51, relaxing and mentally detaching from work during nonwork hours was linked to higher well-being, according to a 2019 report in the International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. When practicing new skills, periods of rest can also help you remember and consolidate what you learned, according to a study of 25 young adults published in 2019 in Current Biology.