Down time is vital

from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel


You know those people who can just kick back and languish in the friendly confines of doing nothing?


Well, Ted isn't one of them.


"My wife can curl up on the sofa with some hot tea and a good book and just while away the afternoon," he told me, shaking his head in envious disbelief.


"And you?" I inquired.


"Maybe five minutes, tops, and then I'm itching to do something, anything as long as it's productive," he replied.


The art of doing nothing, or at least not much, seems increasingly rare in our full throttle world. But it is a vital capacity. What we sometimes derisively refer to as "wasting time" can, in fact, represent doing a lot by doing little.


Allow me to explain. Research shows that engaging in what is commonly referred to as "downtime" is, in the long run, one of the most productive things one can do, or not do, as the case may be.


For example, when employees take a 15-minute nap or relaxation break at work, they are more productive than their "full speed ahead!" counterparts. And we know that adequate rest is essential to physical and mental well-being, as evidenced by how toasted and crazed we all are.


"Am I running from something? Is that why I can't sit still unless I'm out cold?" Ted wondered.


In some of us, the inability to chill reflects an underlying agitation brought on by emotional pain, fear or angst. We keep ourselves fully occupied and on the go in order to avoid an influx of uncomfortable feelings.


And there are certain conditions that can make someone frenzied and agitated, such as manic states, certain adrenal disorders, PTSD and others.


But for many, the absence of sufficient downtime is a learned habit, and a bad one. The capacity to quiet the mind, relax the body and allow one's awareness to light on something fun, easy or quietly absorbing requires a few basic skills.


First, that jabber mouth in your head called thinking has to be muffled. Meditation is a good way to reclaim mastery over what goes on in your consciousness, so if excessive self-talk is clogging your inner airways, consider learning a meditative discipline - mindfulness, Tai Chi, etc.


If you're not the meditation type, you can usually still dial down your inner dialogue by learning to deeply relax your body. There's plenty of information out there about relaxation techniques, and these can be readily learned with a few minutes of daily practice.


It's also helpful to simply slow down the speed of one's physical actions. When we walk, move, talk and drive more slowly, we decelerate the inner clock in the brain, and that can make it easier to relax and "just be."


Also, be mindful of your physical environment. If you're surrounded by noise, frantic activity and constant interruptions, it will be tough to create interludes of just doing nothing.


If you can learn to languish in periods of downtime, whether those you create or ones that just occur, then you'll discover that doing nothing is actually doing something.


It's taking care of you.


h/t Philip Chard