As the week long Eid break in the Sultanate of Oman came to an end and everyday routine took over, it is an opportune time to look at why having occasional downtime is important and how we can maximise the benefits of such a time.
While the dictionary defines downtime as a time when ‘the system is not functioning’, especially in the manufacturing sector, this seems an apt metaphor for the human brain too. Not to function, or be in a hyperactive mode, means that the human mind and body have got a much needed reprieve from everyday stress.
This is why, ironically, downtime needs to be taken seriously. There is enough evidence that workaholics tend to burn out very quickly, having reached an unsustainable peak too soon. Even when not at work, people tend to intuitively reach out for work mails, updates on social media, and the ever present WhatsApp messages.
There are various ways of having downtime, and not all of them involve expensive trips abroad. The simplest is to just stay away from the smartphone, a device which is now just an extension on the palm.
As Jim Wilson of the New York Times says, “when people keep their brains busy with digital input, they are forfeiting downtime that could allow them to better learn and remember information, or come up with new ideas”. We need time to process information and experiences, and a perpetual state of stimulation doesn’t give the necessary time to reflect.
Downtime could be in the form of walking, biking, swimming, or any other, preferably solitary activity, that gives a much needed me-time.
Ask college students what they want to do over a weekend and a typical response is ‘sleep’. There is clear evidence that young adults are not getting the sleep required to sustain normal work hours. Downtime could then just be to catch up on sleep, preferably without the phone on the bedside.
Much like everything else, downtime requires planning. The best way to go about it, according to behaviour scientists, is to first finish up any urgent work that may be pending, to avoid thinking about it. Next, coopting family or friends into your plan is important, so that they can stay involved or give you time off. Finally, ignore the urge to grab the closest digital device to get back on social media.
Holidays are invaluable times to recharge, physically and mentally. They make us more creative and reflective, add to the quality of our relationships at work, and teach us something about ourselves.
South Indian actor Prabhas Raju seems to have got it right when he said, “A holiday is an opportunity to travel within”. For those of us who are lucky enough to have such a time off, using it as downtime is possibly the best use we can make of it.
Sandhya Rao Mehta
The writer is an Assoc Prof at SQU, Oman
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