During my recent holiday break, something strange happened. Free from school, work, and other commitments, I finally had time to relax – yet I couldn’t fully enjoy it. While reading, I felt pressured to rush through the pages. While cooking, I grabbed pre-chopped garlic to save precious minutes. Why was I so focused on efficiency instead of enjoying these moments?
This experience made me realize how our fast-paced world affects our daily lives. We’re constantly bombarded with notifications, social media updates, and endless content streams. This constant connectivity, combined with internalized capitalism – the belief that our worth depends on our productivity – creates a toxic cycle. We feel guilty during downtime, anxious about “wasting” moments that could be spent being productive.
This Western mindset of equating productivity with self-worth leads to burnout and perpetual dissatisfaction. While striving for improvement is healthy, never feeling “good enough” takes a toll on our mental health. When we take breaks or enjoy leisure activities, we often feel we’re failing to meet society’s expectations.
But what if we reframed “wasting time” as “reclaiming time”? This shift involves recognizing that rest and personal rituals aren’t just acceptable – they’re essential for our well-being. Take cooking, for example. As a broke university student, I initially viewed food preparation purely as fuel, choosing quick and convenient options. Over my five years of undergrad, however, cooking has become my ritual for reclaiming time.
Now, I find joy in each step: discovering new recipes, selecting fresh ingredients at the store, preparing food by hand, and even washing dishes. These moments aren’t just means to an end – they’re opportunities to experience life fully. Feel the crisp apple in your hand at the market. Inhale the aroma of spices warming in the pan. Savor your meal while it’s hot. Peel the damn garlic. You deserve it.
Here’s how you can start reclaiming time:
- Create mindful breaks: Schedule intentional pauses for activities that bring joy, whether it’s working out, playing board games with friends, or yes, even scrolling through Twitter guilt-free.
- Establish daily rituals: Build small, meaningful practices into your routine, like a morning coffee ritual or evening vinyl listening session. These scheduled moments of peace can become treasured habits.
- Set clear boundaries: Designate specific spaces for work and relaxation. I never study in my bedroom – it’s my sanctuary for rest, preventing my mind from associating my personal space with stress.
- Practice self-compassion: Remember that rest isn’t lazy – it’s essential. Be gentle with yourself and acknowledge that downtime makes you more effective when you do work.
Reclaiming time is a radical act of self-care in our productivity-obsessed world. By embracing rest and rituals, we create a life enriched with meaning and balance. It’s a journey that requires patience, but the reward is profound: rediscovering the magic in life’s ordinary moments.
