Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-04-09
FIFTEEN u A DAY

If one believed all the advertisements, he would possess
all the desires OF his heart, health, wealth, happiness, with
culture and success thrown in, all for spending fifteen minutes
a day as prescribed.
The best investment of fifteen minutes a day that I know
of is fifteen minutes spent in relaxation, complete relaxation.
Since this is written especially for women, l will confne my
remarks to the feminine portion Of the readers Of the Evening
News, although Jill's medicine is equally potent for Jack.
Make a break in the rush Of the day, with a few minutes
after lunch for rest, preferably in the quiet of ones own room
without trying to utilize the precious minutes looking at the
morning paper or Tor planning the next days work or the
new dress for little Martha.
Regard that fifteen minutes as an investment that brings
in a good rate of interest, for that's what it does. Don't,
under amy consideration, regard it as a waste of time that
you must somehow make up for by doing something worth
while while you rest. Just resting is the most worth while
thing you can do when you are mentally and physically tired.
Lie out straight on your bed, close your eyes, and let yourself
go perfectly limp, the muscles of your fingers, of your face
every muscle Of your body. When you have found yourself en-
tfrely relaxed physically, allow your mind to become a blank.
When that is accomplished, you sleep. Many poor folk under
the curse of insomnia have found that they can overcome that
dreaded nocturnal habit by simply relaxing. 1t really does
bring results much more often than by concentrating ones
mind on n%umberless sheep jumping over a fence, or even by the
Coue method of saying over and over to ones self, I'm grow
ing sleepier and sleeper" etc., ad infinitum. There is some
thing perverss about most OF us that rebels while we chant the
formula, and says, "But I'm growing seepler,-lm growing
wider and wider awake"
Try this simple relaxation tomorrow after lunch. The
tableful of unwashed dishes can stand a while, the butter
won't melt, and as you know, the job won't escape you,-it
will be there when you get back. Buff you rest a little first,
you won't ache with fatigue when you are done with the
dishes, even after your big morning work. Then when you
are finished in the kitchen, you can have your bath and dress,
and read the paper before you get to the family mending.
But the woman III the ofnce wonders just Where she
comes in OH this rest business. Employers who have considera-
ton for their employees, and thank Heaven, there are many of
that kind in this humanitarian age,--provide adequate facli-
ties for rest and recreation at the noon hour. j have noticed
in a good many places where pleasant accommodations have
been provided for employees during their noon hour that a
great many of the employees don't care to make use of the
means provided at great expense and after the most thought
full planning on the part of their employers. If there is a good
lunch room furnished, where one can obtain a clean well
cooked meal at a cost far below what the company has paid
to give it, there are complaints of the food, general dissatis-
faction with the arrangements, no matter what they are, ulti-
mately the club is shut down. Girls who ought to know better
prefer to bolt q chocolate eclair and a cup OF coffee, and spend
the rest of the noon hour in shopping for earringsl
The noon hour is intended for recreation. The bodys
limitations demand it. You wouldn't try to run a machine
without fuel or without power. You can't run your own bodi-
ly machine without supplying the food and rest that are re-
quired for the manufacture Of your energy. 1t can be done.
Take your fifteen minutes a day for restoring yonr energy.
By so doing you will demonstrate to yourself and your asso-
ciates that you are wearing a piece Of thinking apparatus on
top of your spinal column instead of a pumpkin!