5 Ways Doing Absolutely Nothing All Weekend Is Making You Healthier

As someone who is a natural balance between and introvert and extrovert, who loves to go out with friends and to stay out late and who lives in a city surrounded by millions of people every day, I feel it's my duty to educate the public on the amazing benefits of being left alone for two nights in a row to decompress.

Doing absolutely nothing is as much an act of self-care as eating right or going to the gym.

So if you're thinking of spending a weekend in this week, here are all the health benefits you have to look forward to:

1. It reboots your brain.

By resting your body and allowing yourself the opportunity to stop being "on" all the time, you get a chance to really clear your head.

It's just like when you have an intense leg day at the gym, and you give your muscles the time to relax and repair themselves.

Only by staying in for the weekend, you're doing it for your brain.

2. It improves concentration.

With the removal of all the distractions of your everyday life, you can stop feeling like your to-do list will never end.

You increase your ability to concentrate, and the benefit of that is when you do decide to get back in the game, you can be a more effective worker, a better listener to your friends and a more compassionate partner to your SO, who has probably missed you a whole bunch.

3. You discover yourself.

Think back to your last breakup.

Remember when the sadness passed, and you experienced that wonderful period of personal expansion? It was like meeting yourself for the first time, and it was such a pleasure to meet yourself, wasn't it?

If the answer is no, you probably could've waited a little longer before jumping into the next thing, but that's not the point of this article.

When you're away from people, you have the chance to explore your own interests free from the influence and opinions of others, and you might be surprised by what you discover.

4. Increases creativity.

By spending time with yourself, you gain a better understanding of who you are and what you want.

Your mind is free to wander and to take in subtle information that might pass you by when you're engaged in the hustle-bustle of everyday life.

By changing what you're doing, you can change the way that you think, which allows you to be more creative.

Adding to the creativity factor is having the time and the space to engage yourself in some good old-fashioned deep thinking.

5. It improves your life overall.

OK, maybe it doesn't fix your life for you, but being alone allows you the space to work your problems out more effectively. That's because you aren't distracted by any incoming information.

Just make sure your time alone isn't spent entirely in front of a TV, computer or phone.

Get at least an hour of time just walking around, taking in your surroundings. Let that noodle wander while your feet do the work.