Turning Recreation into Re-Creation
By Karen Schwartz, for Revive Your Life
Photo by brothergrimm
Steven Covey’s bestseller, “Seven Habits of Highly Successful People” touches on the importance of recreation, and how it can become re-creation. Recreation has the miraculous ability to re-create our energies, spirit, and joy. Everyone needs a temporary escape from the drudgery and disappointments of their personal and work lives; recreation provides that and more. For a short time, we forget our troubles, revise our priorities, and improve our outlook. Doing so is not a luxury but a necessity, because we function best after periodically taking breaks from the daily rut. Those who follow biblical teachings may agree with the purpose of the Sabbath: we need time away from the material world in order to focus on the spiritual. Recreation is not usually perceived as a theological activity, but it cleanses and renews in its own way. Some of us feel guilty spending time on non-productive pursuits, but recreation can serve as therapist, personal trainer, social gatherer, business connector and career booster. It may be difficult to find the time, but after invigorating re-creation, all seems right with the world!
But what should we do if we’re too weary to attend art class on Saturday morning or get to the gym after work? Well, if this is a regular occurrence, the first thing we should do is realize that our bodies are trying to tell us something.
Circadian Rhythms and Energy
Much research has been done on internal body clocks, especially between “early bird” and “night owl” classifications. The difference derives from the permanent patterns of our circadian rhythms - an approximately 24-hour cycle during which our bodies churn through various biological processses.
There are times that are best for physical exertion, work requiring concentration and projects dependent upon creative effort. Therefore, activities should be done in conjunction with their peak in a person’s circadian rhythm. For example, if a creative endeavor is approached during a creative peak, results are maximized. However, if it’s attempted during a physical peak, results are minimized. In the case of recreation, this could mean that the rejuvenating benefits may actually be hampered, since the individual probably won’t be gaining as much mental or physical satisfaction.
A person should note their physical and mental responses throughout the day to analyze when they feel most creative, analytical, and physically exhilarated. Every recreational activity can fit into one of these categories, and the trick is to identify them to tap into the body’s inherent strengths. As the famous lyricist put it, there is a time for everything!
Some people find that their most creative or analytical period is immediately upon awakening. They have the answers to problems, or ideas for creations, even before leaving bed! These individuals should try to rise earlier and enjoy a recreational hobby that requires creativity or intellect before their day gets underway. Doing so could produce a long lasting, positive mindset.
Others become more astute or physically enabled as the day lengthens. Those individuals will find that mental acuity, stamina and body coordination are all easier during later-day learning or exercise. For them, a morning class or workout would be attended in a robotic manner, since they would not be in their most receptive and alert state. Recreation’s healing and re-creating abilities would be limited. The same applies to people who are most energized at mid-day, but attempt to exercise at night. They would be better off using their lunch hour for the fitness club, because visiting a tennis or basketball court in the evening may be so daunting, they’d soon quit. It’s not that they’re weak or undetermined; they’re simply working in opposition to their own circadian rhythm.
It’s a good thing there are differences in body clocks, since society needs emergency workers, medical personnel, transportation and other 24-hour service providers. A good majority of individuals who work off-hours unconsciously meet the needs of their body clocks. The body can adapt to scheduling revisions (as it proves when we travel into different time zones) as long as we pay attention and listen. Everyone, regardless of body clocks or work schedule, can find a way to enhance re-creation time, and it’s usually a matter of letting the body clock be a guide, instead of the clock on the wall. Following nature’s schedule will not only improve the quality of recreation, it will enhance re-creation as well!
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My creative time is either early morning or late at night. I have a massive mid-afternoon crash in mental energy.
[...] regain the passion, or to simply feel that you can put skills and resources to use, it never hurts to attempt change [...]