Life is hectic. Expectations are everywhere, and we often feel the need to always be doing something in order to be “productive”. Stop it! We cram our calendars the way water fills a glass, every corner occupied by work. It’s not surprising a lot of people burn out. They’re either working, going to the gym, listening to podcasts, listening to music, rushing to the store, picking up packages, every waking moment filled with activities. All of those things are great and productive and I’m glad you’re contributing to society, but don’t miss out on the importance of space and taking time for yourself.
When every spare minute is stuff with input, the brain never gets to digest what it’s consumed. This leads to feelings of overwhelm, feelings that you’ll be left behind if you aren’t constantly doing something. Here’s a counterintuitive fix: try scheduling nothing. I’ve found that intentionally finding time to rest and do nothing has given me more success. And by success I mean its made me more creative, helped me solve difficult problems that I couldn’t wrap my head around, and generally gave me more energy. Think of it as your brain having time to finish running subtasks in the background. You free up mental RAM so your subconscious can take that and finish up everything you’ve started at the beginning of the day.
Give it a try. Leave the phone at home, leave the headphones, no music, no content, and go on a walk. Observe the world, breathe in the air, listen to natural sounds. Find a park bench, sit on it, and allow yourself to be bored. When I was younger I remember the feeling of being bored. I was bored all the time! In adulthood, I can rarely recall the last time I was actually bored. But out of boredom, creativity forms. Maybe it’s just giving yourself time to not rush through things, to really sit with your thoughts. Then, after some time come back and you might find ideas you’ve been wrestling with will slip into place, and you’ll feel more refreshed. Your mind will thank you for the room to stretch.