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Simon woke up in a panicSudden fear or anxiety that you cannot control, which stops you from thinking clearly. . His alarm had not gone off: he would be late for work. And then he remembered: this was his day for not doing any work at all. Thank goodness!

Many people today find it hard to enjoy their free time. More than half of Americans do not use up all their days of holiday at work. Some people worry that others will look down on them for not working hard enough.

But it has not always been that way. In Ancient GreeceAbout 2,500 years ago, Greece was one of the most important places in the world. Ancient Greeks lived all around the Mediterranean, not just in Greece., most people tried to avoidKeep away from something. work and make slavesPeople who are forced to work without being paid. do it instead. The Ancient RomansA very old civilisation of people, who lasted from the 8th Century BC to the 5th Century AD. thought you should take time off too - but mostly because they thought it would give you strength for more work.

Today, scientists say it is good for you to have a break from working. "When we are busiest, our brains are not necessarilySomething that has to happen. doing very much," says one expert. But when we take a break and do something like walking or shovellingLifting and moving loose material, such as soil or snow, using a shovel - a tool with a wide, deep scoop or blade and a long handle. snow, we begin to have new ideas.

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Today, writer Jason Heller avoids anything that feels like work on a Sunday. He does not do cleaning or exercise. Instead he sleeps, reads and watches TV. He says it has helped him to appreciateUnderstand the worth of something. his life more.

Yes! We live in a world in which everyone thinks they need to work all the time. But the truth is, to be happy and healthy we need to rest.

No! To make things happen, you need to work hard. People who have nothing to do end up wasting their time on computer games.