downtime Archives - Blocks of Life

September 28, 2024October 3, 2024 by Pete Wiley

Take to Travel—Making the Most of Time Away

Travel can be trying for many people. The stress of driving and flying, the arrangements to make for pets, the packing—it can all lead to a feeling of dread about traveling. But, like most things, a little planning and an open mind can cure a lot of ills. Flexibility in travel can help make for a relaxed, rejuvenating time and allow for some spontaneity of experience with unforeseen opportunities that arise. However, having some goals and a good idea of what you might do can help set the tone for the trip you want. Ultimately, a balance between flexibility and planning will lower the stress and make for meaningful and rewarding travel.

July 20, 2024June 4, 2024 by Pete Wiley

Body Communication—Learning from Illness and Injury

I don’t seem to get sick that much—not since the days of having a young child in the petri dish of daycare and elementary school. But when I do get sick, I try to listen to my body. It’s easy to become grumpy about the lost time and missing out on events and experiences. At the same time, it’s a unique opportunity to experience your mind-body-spirit in different (and challenging) circumstances. It can be similar for injuries. Yes, they can be painful, slow you down, and prevent you from engaging in certain activities. But they also force you to be more mindful and listen to your body.

April 27, 2024March 10, 2024 by Pete Wiley

Living on Easy Street—It’s Hard!

People have different perceptions about taking time off. But ultimately, time off is just “time on” something else. There’s no such thing as doing nothing. Every moment of your existence, you are pumping blood, breathing, blinking, producing cells, repairing bone, and burning calories. It’s exhausting. But it’s what your brain does that you really notice. Whether your time off is rejuvenating depends on your mental state. Your mental state depends on what you’re doing, how much sleep you’ve had, how much energy you’ve been using, how much time you’ve spent with people, and what you’ve been eating and drinking (among many other factors). When you’re busy, some time off is just what you need. But how you spend your downtime matters.

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February 17, 2024February 1, 2024 by Pete Wiley

Living Large—How Luxury Fits Into Your Life

What does luxury mean to you? For many, the idea conjures the trappings of wealth—maybe yachts, private planes, or opulent houses. But are these things luxurious in and of themselves? Once you get beyond these trappings’ flashiness and comfort, you must still have a meaningful life to make them enjoyable. And you may find that if you do have a meaningful life, you don’t need this brand of luxury. Simple pleasures can be considered luxurious and don’t involve the cost, maintenance, or hassle of the more lavish luxuries. What are the luxurious things in your life? Do they give you pleasure, or must they be connected to other parts of your life, such as friends, to add meaning?

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July 22, 2023April 20, 2023 by Pete Wiley

Mindful Existence—Learning How to Live in a World Full of Distractions

In the modern world, we have amazing technology that would have seemed like magic centuries ago, and like science fiction only decades ago. We’re connected with other people around the globe in an instant and think nothing of it. This past week, I was on video meetings with people from Hawai’i, New Caledonia, and Alaska and across the continental US, and it didn’t even warrant a passing mention. We also have literally every movie or TV show ever made available at any time. And if all of that doesn’t satiate our desire for distraction, we have a near infinite stream of opinions, status updates, shares, clips, and fails available from multiple social media sources, all the time. For people born in this era, it’s very easy to never have a time when our brains aren’t occupied by external stimuli, and as a result, to never learn how to live without distraction.

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