Why you need to learn to relax

Ask most people what they do to unwind at the end of the day and the answer will most likely be consuming some form of entertainment. Television (in its many forms) is probably the most popular response, with music and movies following not far behind. Some people even read.

Relaxing may be something you equate with laziness, but if that is the case you need to scrub such thoughts from your mind. The ability to relax is important in effectively managing stress and anxiety. You need to relax so that you can better perform the following day, but also to ensure you live a long life.

Those who work outside of entertainment have it a bit easier when it comes to relaxing. They leave their jobs, commute home, kick off their shoes and lose themselves in someone else’s creation.

For those of us who depend on entertainment and our relationship to it in order to provide for our families, the transition from work to play is not so easy. Our brains are wired to engage with media differently than those who work in other fields. We see something great and immediate consider how it was made or how we can apply something that piece of art did well and use it ourselves. We see newcomers and think we could work with them. We check out the latest releases and ask ourselves why we aren’t writing about them instead of just enjoying them.

Separating work from play in the world of entertainment is a constant struggle, and it is one that — at least in my experience – never really goes away. Disengaging from the work day is a choice you have to consciously make each and every day. Sometimes you have to catch yourself more than once in a single evening or weekend, but it is something you must commit to doing in order to avoid total burn out.

James Shotwell