“Financial goals. Family goals. Academic goals.”
With so many milestones to cover, our lives have turned from peaceful journeys to rat races. We find “happiness” in accomplishing what our peers have accomplished. And with all that pressure, we can feel overwhelmed with mental issues such as anxiety and depression.
With the rising cases of mental illnesses, the use of drugs for these conditions has also increased. The balance is obviously lost and things are not the way they should be.
When our minds are stressed, our body system does not relax, wearing out the body at a much faster rate, and making us age faster than we should be.
How to escape the rat race
Let’s face it – you cannot leave your job. You do need money to survive, after all. What you can do instead, is take breaks every now and then, but before you take a break, you’ll need some financial freedom. If you’re living from pay cheque to pay cheque, this will not be possible for you.
Audit your expenses and see where you’re spending the most. Make some savings so you could take at least 30 days off in a year.
Benefits of escaping the rat race
How do you plan to spend the break you’ve taken? Travelling? Gardening? Whatever it is – make sure it’s worth it. If you’ve taken the weekend off so you can garden, don’t spend it sleeping. Make it worthwhile. Plant the tomatoes you always wanted. Or begin the pruning project you’ve been delaying.
This will give you a sense of fulfilment and will ease the stress off. And don’t set milestones in your “break activity.” You don’t have to plant 50 tomato plants in one weekend. Just relax and do what pleases your heart.
When you start taking breaks you’ll feel happier and more confident. This will also reflect in your professional life. So the 30 days you take off each year won’t exactly be counterproductive. If you start giving better output in the remaining days, it will be beneficial for your finances too – especially if you run a business or are a freelancer.
There are immense mental and physical benefits of escaping the rat race. You’ll start feeling less stressed, your health will improve, and you’ll rely less on drugs.
You’ll see your blood pressure being more stable and your ageing process will decelerate. You’ll be less prone to heart-related diseases and you’ll feel general mental well-being.
The list is endless. Experts believe that most modern-day diseases are caused by stress. When you're stress-free, your chances of falling ill will reduce. Your immunity will be better and your body will gain natural strength to fight diseases without any drugs.
While taking a break is easier said than done, you’ll need to step out of your comfort zone to do it. And trust me, you’ll love the results!
Happiness is the best anti-depressant you can take. So step out once in a while and smell the flowers. Get high on life. It will make life easier and better.
Letitia
Egret Jewellery