It is healthy to rest and take a break after a hard day of work or a week of productive activity.
I enjoy reading, going to coffee shops and bookstores, and watching sports. At times, when I attempt to engage in these activities, my inner critic will say,” This is wrong.”
Have you ever had this happen to you? The term is leisure guilt. Here is a definition I found: “ Leisure guilt occurs when you feel like you should be doing something more productive instead of enjoying yourself, even after your responsibilities are complete. This feeling is common among high achievers or those with a strong work ethic, where taking time for yourself feels like a luxury you haven’t earned.”
At times, I agree with my inner critic and ignore what I enjoy. Rather, I should see the inner critic as the equivalent of Sarah tempting Eve in the garden. The inner critic is making a false statement, and it needs to be ignored.
For goodness' sake, God rested from work. If the creator of the universe can take time off, I can, too. God modeled rest and discussed rest. Science says it’s healthy to rest and do what you enjoy. Do you suffer from leisure guilt?
