Today is the day before Thanksgiving. Are you running around getting ready for a crowd that is going to descend on your home? As we move into the holiday season, take a close look at your schedule. For many, the calendar is jam-packed with work and personal activities. Are you excited and looking forward to hustle and bustle of the coming month or do you feel your level of stress rising? Schedule in some downtime.

The Upside of Downtime by Heather Rogers in Experience Life explains why “doing not much of anything is among the very best things you can do”. Being busy all the time can exhaust our nervous system and impair our ability to be creative and productive both in our personal and work lives.

Some ways to create more downtime in your days include:

• Weed out time stealers such as constantly checking email
• Allow your mind to wander
• At work, take 5 or 10 minutes a day to stare out the window
• At the end of the day turn off your electronic devices, let your body relax and allow yourself to think

I love Thanksgiving! The holiday of gratitude and thankfulness is my favorite.   However, the above article spoke to me and it is true that “doing nothing takes practice” for many of us.