When was the last time you were really bored? Can you remember when you didn't have something pressing to get done? Did you know it takes about 15 minutes of boredom before your brain begins to think creatively? Think about that. The benefits of delving into think time are numerous and they are being lost in today's information age. I recently received a weekly 'phone usage' update that told me I average 156 daily notifications. I have all notifications turned off on my phone except emails and text messages, and this doesn't include the notifications I receive on my computer! You know what else? I think most everyone else receives the same if not more notifications than I do.
This is not a 'cell phone bashing' post but it is a 'raise your awareness' post. Because we have access to the entire world of information via mini super computers in our pockets (smart phones), we rarely stop being notified and consuming information. And if we never stop consuming information, we can never digest the information. Imagine if all you did was eat food all of the time and never allowed your body to digest it. You would feel miserable. The lack of mental digesting bleeds over not only into processing information but inadvertently in processing our emotions and reactions to what is taking place in our lives. Our first reaction to the stress of life is likely an overreaction. In the past, we would take time to digest what was taking place and come out with a more balanced, well-reasoned perspective on what was taking place. But since we don't digest much of anything, we get stuck with our initial, overreaction. The dominoes of stress, anxiety, frustration and a host of other exhausting emotions topple all over our life as a result
There is one particular solution that is gone in most of our lives and I've been trying to get it back. Think time. How did I lose it? I lost it when I filled in the boring parts of my life with my phone. Standing in line at the store. Sitting at a traffic light. Commercial breaks during sporting events. The list of empty moments in my life that I fill with consuming information and responding to notifications from my phone is disturbing. However, my awareness of the importance of think time has recently been awakened and here is how I have recovered some of that time...
So if you want to tackle a really complicated problem get bored and get quiet. It might sound a little crazy, but the more you take time to think about think time you just might think that you need to prioritize think time. That is a lot of thinking!
There is one particular solution that is gone in most of our lives and I've been trying to get it back. Think time. How did I lose it? I lost it when I filled in the boring parts of my life with my phone. Standing in line at the store. Sitting at a traffic light. Commercial breaks during sporting events. The list of empty moments in my life that I fill with consuming information and responding to notifications from my phone is disturbing. However, my awareness of the importance of think time has recently been awakened and here is how I have recovered some of that time...
EMBRACE MUNDANE HOUSEHOLD CHORES - I have found mowing the lawn, folding laundry, loading the dishwasher, and vacuuming the house to be a perfect time to think. I find myself thinking deeply while I'm in the midst of these very mundane, repetitive tasks. My mind releases while I'm pushing a lawn mower or vacuum cleaner up and down in a zombie like state, or folding towel after towel after towel. I argue with myself. I think about my future. I get emotional thinking about my family. I weigh the positives and negatives of a big decision. I pray. I can feel my mind and emotions un-pack themselves as I go about these simple tasks.
WORKOUT IN SILENCE - I am a huge advocate for physical fitness and working out on a daily basis. Recently, I have spent portions of my workouts in silence. Most of my workouts take place early in the morning prior to the workday and it is amazing how I begin to think about what needs to be done that day. It is amazing how clear I get on my biggest priorities and how effectively I get things done in the hours that follow when I just move the through the mundanity of my workout in silence.
SET A TIMER ON YOUR PHONE AND SIT IN SILENCE - I will admit that this one is a little bizarre. I have used it when I sense that things are unusually intense in my life. I set a timer on my phone for a set amount of time (6-10 minutes) and sit quietly. At first, my brain feels like a wild animal being harnessed for the first time, but as I sit there I settle. The timer almost always surprises me when it goes off.
You know what happens after each of these suggestions? I feel great. I feel balanced. I feel accomplished. I feel less stress. I feel ready to take on my complicated life.
So if you want to tackle a really complicated problem get bored and get quiet. It might sound a little crazy, but the more you take time to think about think time you just might think that you need to prioritize think time. That is a lot of thinking!
*Bonus content: Here are some resources to help you dig deeper on this topic. Stolen Focus by Johann Hari, Deep Work by Cal Newport, How to Lead in a World of Distraction by Clay Scroggins
Keep on, keeping on, friends!
‘Bite Down and Don’t Let Go’ is a collection of writings on being intentional about life in a way that produces great persistence. Read about it more here.
Dr. Chris Hobbs is an educational leader with more than two decades of experience. He’s earned a few degrees and won some awards. He’s happily married to his high school sweetheart and they have three teen age children. Life is messy and complicated most of the time. You can follow him on Twitter for all sorts of inspirational thoughts and good laughs.
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