People Without Free Time: The Fear Of Stopping

There are people without free time of their own free will, who avoid having moments of leisure and disconnection. As striking as it may seem, this type of profile exists and they are not isolated cases. There are those who fear stopping, those who experience discomfort in moments of inactivity and when nothing is required of them other than being and being, than being oneself and letting time pass in calm and harmony.

There will be those who say that everything is a matter of personality. Of course, there are many who, due to their active and proactive nature, always have the need to keep moving, devising things, creating, planning … Now, there is another area that is a little more problematic and that it is necessary to consider.

There are those who cannot conceive of having a moment of inactivity. Because that stillness, that permissiveness to do nothing, gives way to a reunion with oneself. And, sometimes, this internal reality does not like and uncomfortable. On the other hand, the fact of having a fixed routine full of tasks and activities acts as an escape valve and also for forgetting.

Let’s dive a little deeper into this topic.

People with no free time: when doing nothing causes anxiety

In recent times, phrases such as “ I don’t have time for anything” or “ I have hours left for everything I have to do” abound . Somehow, we have become used to filling our days with lists of tasks and obligations. What’s more, we even assume that having things to do gives us status.

Being busy and worried is normal and what it takes. Even the idle, the one who does nothing, who slows down and allows himself free time, is seen with surprise.

However, let’s be clear, the problem is not in who for a few hours a day chooses to do nothing and chooses in a healthy way to rest. Far from attributing epithets like “lazy” or “irresponsible”, in reality, whoever gives himself leisure time is giving himself quality of life. On the other hand, those obsessed with the “I have to and I must that” are those who sometimes contain problematic realities.

When doing nothing leads to anxiety

The expression “do nothing” is often somewhat controversial. Sometimes, it can be the clear result of sloppiness in one’s own functions, in not complying with what is expected of us. Now, when we use this phrase in the context of leisure time, doing nothing actually translates as necessary, healthy, and even productive.

• Reading, taking a walk, resting, having good conversations, enjoying a landscape and the here and now fill with meaning and significance doing nothing. However, there are many people to whom these activities generate high anxiety.
• People with no free time, those who always have something to do, do not really know what it is to relax.
• The simple fact of sitting down and knowing that they have nothing pending, that they do not have the obligation to do anything, generates anxiety.

• Not only do they feel unproductive, they also feel that they are doing something wrong, of failing something or someone.
• On the other hand, something remarkable can also happen. Leisure time is also an invitation to rediscover ourselves. Connecting with our self is something essential that we should practice every day. Now, there are many who do not feel comfortable making that trip to the interior.

Sometimes that personal universe hides facts that need our attention. It is useless to shield ourselves at work because the discomfort will continue to be present.

Accelerated world, accelerated minds without the ability to enjoy leisure

Sometimes we become embedded in a lifestyle in which being busy (whatever it is) is normal. With this, we not only normalize the inability to enjoy leisure time, we also establish the foundations of states of anxiety.

• There are people who even on vacation are looking for a thousand occupations. By doing so, they feel competent and even productive again. In this way, they also perceive that they fit into the molds of this demanding society that wants us busy (and also worried).
• These situations start the engine of the racing mind, unable to relax, allergic to inner silence, and unable to appreciate the present moment. Because for anxiety, only the pending tasks and the pressure of tomorrow count.

People without free time unable to understand that leisure is health

People without free time abound in excess. But be careful, not because they work a lot they are more productive. They are not brighter or happier by spending more time in an occupation. What’s more, a busy life without leisure time leads to discomfort and mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, etc.

Leisure is also health, the fact of doing nothing at some point of the day can be incredibly beneficial. We do not have to wait for a vacation to allow ourselves those moments of calm and inactivity. Giving ourselves two or three hours of calm and quiet reboots, reduces stress, enhances creativity and reverts to mental health.

It is therefore time to change our mental scheme: always doing something can also be counterproductive. Life can only be savored when we give ourselves quality time and this often happens through leisure, calm and even the art of doing nothing.