'ME TIME� IS NOT AN OPTION � IT IS MANDATORY BY NICOL DAVID

Would you take more time for yourself if you were told it was mandatory?

In my opinion, there are two stigmas attached to taking time off for some �Me Time�:

Unfortunately, in Malaysia, there seems to be a growing culture of overworking which sometimes stems from the glorification of �hustling�. The 2019 Malaysia's Healthiest Workplace Survey by AIA Vitality reported that 51% of employees suffer from at least one dimension of work-related stress, which can affect our mental wellbeing, clinical health, and even our sleep. It is also worrying to see that 2.3% of Malaysian adults, or about half a million people, suffer from depression, based on the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey.

�I think especially in the Asian setting, the idea of being busy equals successful comes from the concept coined as Confucian Dynamism where hard work and diligence are seen as valued characteristics in a person. There's this belief that being "busy" is a good thing, and that it shows you are occupied with meaningful activities, rather than staying idle and rotting away with unproductivity. Idling is sometimes seen as being 'lazy' and 'unproductive',� said Dr Ng.

Yet, I learnt very quickly through my own experience just how important �Me Time� was.

By December 2009, I was reflecting with my family and friends over Christmas and shared with them that I had felt unusually tired after that particular season. Someone then asked me: �When did you last take a week off?� To be honest, I couldn�t remember the last time I had taken time off. I just didn�t remember. I was over-exhausted and neared an injury, and truly hadn�t even realised it.

But don�t just take my word for it � when asked about the mental benefits of �Me Time�, Dr. Ng also shared �By taking a break, you allow your mental faculties to rest and recuperate, just like how your physical body does when it gets adequate rest. In short, 'Me Time' is essential for mental health and is part of a growth mindset.�

There you have it: �Me Time� is crucial for our lives. It shouldn�t be the exception in the things we do, and we shouldn�t wait until we�re about to collapse to make it a priority. Just as we have to work hard to reach a goal, we need to have a healthy body to be able to achieve them. We should be able to dedicate time for ourselves without feeling guilty. Self-care is essential to avoid burnout and for us to unwind and reset our bodies and minds.