The Art of Idling

Even though we long for rest, it seems people fear idle time, and prefer to do something as opposed to doing nothing. There are many reasons. Author Gabrielle Treanor says, “There is always something to occupy us; we are connected all the time.” Media bombards us with new ways to do anything and everything, places to go, and endless possibilities. There is also guilt, particularly around laziness because “…being busy carries a sense of status and moral superiority.” Psychologist Sandi Mann writes that some simply fear boredom though research reveals that “boredom, far from being a bad thing, can make us more creative.” “When we’re alert and fully rational, our critical, judging mind is ruling the show.” When we’re bored, our minds start wandering and daydreaming, “free to roam outside the box looking for things we wouldn’t necessarily come up with when we are more conscious.”