Why You Need to Take a Chill Day

Every now and then you need to take a day and just chill. And with that, here is why you need to take a chill day.

What is a chill day? Often called a lazy day, a chill day is basically a day that is relaxed, uneventful, and calm.

We live in a fast-paced era where everyone is always doing something.

You’re going shopping, getting drinks, picking up the kids, fixing something that’s broken, cleaning the house, going to a performance, getting ready to party, etc.

And when your nothing doing anything physical, you’re texting your friends, posting on social media, swiping on dating apps, answering emails, etc.

But what about just chilling?

Taking the day and just relaxing. Letting yourself breathe free, stretching out your muscles, and letting your mind wonder.

This is largely missing in our society and yet, chill days have great benefits.

Lower Stress and Less Burn Out

Imagine you have a busy work day, you got to pick up and cook for the kids, then get yourself ready to meet your friends for drinks, go to bed late, wake up tired, then get the kids to school and yourself to work, deal with workplace drama,  then go shopping for food, deal with traffic, make dinner, then wash the clothes for the next day, go back to work, pick up kids, make them dinner, your friends come over, all the while in-between constantly texting, answering emails, retweeting, liking, posting pictures of your perfect life.

When do you get time to sit down and relax? All of that leads to stress and burn out.

While stress is a normal part of life, excessive prolonged stress has numerous negative side effects on the mind and body.

Headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, depression, and anxiety can all be brought about or worsened by excessive amounts of stress.

When you take a chill day just to relax, you reduce you stress levels and become less prone to burning out.

Believe or not, you can actually become more productive in your life by taking more chill days as you body and mind are rejuvenated from relaxation.

In fact, one study has shown that those working more than 50 hours per week showed a significant decline in productivity per hour. After 55 hours, it was virtually pointless to keep at it.

You need to set aside time to just chill. No working, not drinking with friends, not glued to your phone, but a calm relaxation.

Think Clearly and Reflectively

When was the last time you just let your mind wander? Or just sat down (no cell phone) thought reflectively?

Believe or not, setting aside time just to think is important for clearing your mind and making good decisions.

In an age where everyone is expected to be doing something and doing nothing gets negative reputation.

But doing nothing and letting yourself just think is one of the best moves you can make.

In fact, a study has shown that reflection and introspection during “empty time” is valuable in that it promotes creativity, innovation, brings forth new inventions and insights.

Indeed, Albert Einstein’s great ideas and theories came when he was doing nothing, either out on a boat relaxing or going for a walk and just thinking.

Mankind’s greatest realizations and epiphanies happen, not when we are busy, but when we are chilling.

Like staring out at the sea, space, or forest and just reflecting.

Not staring at our phones, doing over-time at work, or partying every night with friends – because that’s what society says we should be doing.

I’m reminded of the story of Isaac Newton and his theory of the law of gravity.

He wasn’t busy in a laboratory, then window shopping for new clothes, then making dinner, or getting a head start on harvesting tomorrow’s crop. His schedule wasn’t packed.

He was relaxing, sitting under a tree, and saw an apple fall to the ground. Then he started thinking. That wondering revolutionized our view of the universe.

Imagine if Newton had an iPhone. He probably wouldn’t have even noticed the apple falling.

Conclusion

And that is why you need to take a chill day!

I love my chill days. I can just unwind. What do I do?

When it depends on the weather and the season. If it’s a nice warming day outside, I will often go to the beach, to the park, or go hiking.

If it’s bad weather or freezing out, I have no problem just staying inside relaxing on my couch, listening to music, and just thinking.

One of my habits is often listening to music, pacing back and forth, and just letting my mind wander.

Taking the time to think things through and for the future.

Some of my best ideas have come from this.

So, what about the rest of you? Do you take time to chill and relax? What do you like to do on your chill days? Let me know in the comments below!

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