Thursday, May 14, 2009

Are we too rushed?

So last couple of weeks have been super busy and stressful. With work, with move and with all other small small things.. Last evening, SD being very thoughtful, nicely recommended, "you know what, go for one of those long bubble baths.. and relax.. and i will take care of everything else"

I was like, no, there is so much to do.. And then checked myself and said.. you know what, why not? I think a break would be nice.. Just some time to basically do nothing. Dinner was ready, V was off to sleep, house is unpacked...let me actually take this time for myself.. and relax.

But something was not right, all the time with the candles blowing and the soothing music in background, all that kept going through my mind was oh i should do this, i should put that furniture there, oh, for V, i should make this for lunch, for SD, get this for fathers day, for me do my nails while i just sit!

And then it struck me, are we always too rushed? The 45 minutes were supposed to be just unwind, and not think of chores but to actually just relax.. And alas it was not.
Of course, i felt good after it, since body was relaxed and was very happy to get a break.. but the mind was not as relaxed. I know i should have just closed my eyes and let the music take over.. but no, the multi tasking brain of ours comes in play!

And i think, that's true for all of us at different levels....
~While driving, we listen to NPR to get news updates, sometimes oh so annoyingly check blackberry's for the emails.. make calls to India.. well just use the time,
While i drive right?
~While cooking, we'll do the laundry.
~While playing with kids, we'll have the Roomba do its magic in other rooms.
~While lounging on Mag. Mile, we'll check carters for the baby hat we need to buy so badly..
~While relaxing with a movie at home, we will have the laptop open for the best deals for home theater system.
~Once in a while when i do hit the gym for my relaxation, i will always have my favorite show that i missed, or listen to the E-book have been meaning to finish off..

So you get my point.. we are very used to multi-tasking- over working and always being rushed and hurried... We do not just sit back and enjoy the process of things..

I remember seeing my dad, a very busy man of course, but his two hours in the morning are dedicated to himself- he will get up at 5 go for the walk, do the yoga, go for the swim do the pranayaam and totally enjoy the time of unwinding and freshening up. He would always stop to smell the flowers, to feel the morning mist on grass during the walk! Its only after all this, will he pick up the paper, or start the computer to make the morning calls to us here! The rest of the day, he will be multi-tasking all through out. But the time for relaxing, he is enjoying the process.

Why are we so rushed? Is it our hi-tech lives or us never having enough time? Why?
I know i should.. stop... relax..smell the flowers and take a breathing moment!

4 comments:

Priyanka Rajkhowa said...

Yep...I guess the reason for our inability to relax is due to the inherent need to keep pace with everything happening in the world...be it work, household chores,nurturing a baby,entertaining, socializing...there is this implicit fear of being left out in the race of life...though in the end the race is with one's own self :-))...like you said, love thought of taking the time to smell the flowers, smell the earth after the season's first showers of rain and feel the morning mist on the grass...aah...it's a pity all of us can't find the time for these small pleasures of life...

Unknown said...

very interesting

Garima said...

I agree with we forcing ourselves in this race.... and i sometimes fear, we will burn ourselves out too soon.
Well, on my end, i am taking the time now to have V teach me to slow down.. since she will sit for minutes just gazing at flowers or sit on the grass... and now i will do the same with her without rushing it up!

Lakshmi said...

I feel this way often. I am multitasking so much that I mix activities :) My hubby has it all figured out. He relaxes every mornign 1 hour before kids are up and every evening half an hour with his WSJ! I do love to read but not when things are to be done and there is something always :)