Why it's important to take time for doing nothing

We are conditioned to think that silence and inaction mean failure. We are trained to be overworked, and we believe that if we are not doing something that contributes to our goals, we are doing nothing. This makes us incapable of just being with ourselves - our goal is only legitimate if it serves someone or something else. A University of Virginia study found that over 700 people were asked to sit in a room alone with their thoughts for 6 to 15 minutes, next to a shock button they could push if they wanted out.

Most people who were asked to sit quietly and think preferred to shock themselves rather than do so. However, silence is psychologically essential. We are not made to run all the time, and this leads to absolutely harmful effects, which I will only briefly discuss here. When overwork is our identity, we lose sight of who we actually are and stop living a real life.

It's unhealthy to think that we always have to be doing something. The idea that we always have to be doing something is completely cultural (and completely unhealthy). Have you noticed that we only feel like we are doing "something" when that "something" can be measured from the outside - from other people?

The resting state is the way our mind overloads itself: It does unconscious tasks or processes conscious experiences. The resting state can process experiences, consolidate memories, reinforce learning, regulate attention and emotions - and ensure that we are more productive and effective in our daily work.

It's scientifically proven that humans are not designed to constantly expend energy while awake. Sleep deprivation or "doing nothing" is the best predictor of workplace burnout. (A Harvard study estimates that lack of sleep costs American companies $63.2 billion in lost productivity each year).

When you don't give yourself time to think about and process your feelings, you give your feelings more power. Stephanie Brown argues, "Most psychotherapists would argue that suppressing negative feelings only gives them more power and leads to intrusive thoughts that can make you try harder to avoid them."

Creativity thrives in silence and doing nothing, and is enhanced when you step back from a project or problem. Distracting yourself with other mundane tasks is an effective way to clear your mind. Numerous studies show that people who are highly creative on a regular basis come up with the most innovative ideas. Einstein called this process "setting the sacred intuitive mind in motion."

If you work on a project with interruptions, you're more likely to accomplish what you set out to do. If you maintain a healthy, happy lifestyle and attend to other important things (your health, your family, your state of mind), you'll find it easier to stay on task.

Mindfulness can help you focus on the present moment and heighten your awareness. This can reduce stress, improve your memory, reduce emotional reactions, improve relationships, increase cognitive flexibility (the ability to shift from one thought to the next), increase empathy and compassion, and increase overall well-being.

Taking time to relax is not a distraction from your "real" work, but an essential part of being human.

Have a great Sunday and hope you don't do anything today.