I have recently read that in “primitive” societies people are perfectly content to just sit around and do nothing for hours, if there really is nothing to do. I have never visited tribes in the Amazon rainforest or the Australian Bushland, but that statement struck me as immediately plausible. Just think about how animals behave: If there is no need to hunt for food, they sit around or, if they are Bonobos, fornicate. Maybe you own a dog, and know that he spends a large part of his day lying on the floor. 

In the wake of the Industrial Revolution we humans, on the other hand, have been thoroughly conditioned to consider it normal to spend most of our waking life at “work,” and if there is nothing to do, like on weekends, we follow elaborate rituals to keep ourselves occupied. It almost seems that we are not supposed to be left alone with ourselves. This is especially poignant in big cities. However, people seem to be little aware, until it is too late, that a life consisting of busyness and busywork gradually wears them down. 

Maybe you think that you don’t need to take breaks. Maybe you think that you are (still) young and can thus push yourself to your limits and beyond, but the whole “working hard” culture usually doesn’t work out so well. When I was studying at the London School of Economics, I knew students who slept in the library before exams, and pulling all-nighters, instead of having one-nighters, was common, too. However, I couldn’t help but think that those people all looked much older than they were. Some had actually gotten their first grey hair before their 20th birthday. 

While I think we would all be better off if we cut down consumption drastically and focussed on what really matters, I am well aware that such a step is too frightening to many. It’s hard to battle a lifetime of conditioning and the billions spent by the advertising industry, which wants us believe we need this or that shiny toy, or that we have to achieve X to amount to something in life. 

If you don’t want to question your lifestyle too much, but nonetheless often feel drained, I’ve got a very good technique for you to regain some of your energy. Put in simple terms, all you have to do is lie on the floor for five minutes. 

Turn off anything that distracts you. 

Set an alarm for five minutes. 

Lie down. 

Close your eyes. 

It takes only five minutes of your time, and it’s really worth it. Afterwards, you will feel strangely refreshed. Maybe you almost didn’t want to get up in the end. Some people get rather sleepy or even fall asleep. If this happens to you, then you probably should reevaluate some aspects of your life because it is obvious that your body needs more time to recover than you grant it. 

This exercise is just a warm-up. In the future, I will talk about meditation and its positive effects. For the time being, though, feel free to take those five minute breaks whenever you need them. They are a great start, but they are only the first step on the way to having a more fulfilling life.