Warning: some people might find this podcast seriously restful.

If that sounds appealing, it should do, because rest is something we all need to prioritise. So says this week’s guest, Claudia Hammond, who argues that being busy isn’t a badge of honour – and taking time out is definitely not lazy. We examine the science behind our struggles to relax and she shares some brilliant insights on our attitudes to downtime, the top 10 activities most likely to help us switch off, and what the benefits are for our health, wellbeing, and productivity.

If you need a reminder of why rest is so important – and permission to do it, without feeling guilty – this is it. So put your feet up (or head out for a walk, if you find that more restful), and listen in.

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Watch the video version of this interview in full below.

Further Learning:

• Research Gate – Busyness as a badge of honour for the new superordinate working class
• Journal Research Group – Conspicuous Consumption of Time: When Busyness and Lack of Leisure Time Become a Status Symbol
• BBC – The Tiny Breaks That Ease Your Body and Reboot Your Brain
• THE REST TEST: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS
• Durham University – Rest and Wellbeing – The World’s Largest Survey
• BBC – The ten most restful activities
• Pacific Standard – Being a Couch Potato Not So Bad Afterall
• BBC – Do people choose pain over boredom?
• BBC – Loneliness Experiment