The Importance of Doing Nothing !

Our elders have always taught us that we should not sit idle and instead keep ourselves busy. Khali dimaag shaitan ka ghar. This was probably true in the analog age when there were fewer things to do and fewer distractions. 

But time has changed now. In this digital age, there are always so many things to do. I probably want 50 hours in a day and 20 days in a week to catch up on hundred different things I do. I want to catch up on news, read books on my Kindle, write blogs, check WhatsApp, tweet about my day, like/share pictures on Facebook, listen to music, watch latest YouTube virals, watch TV and so on. So, it feels like whenever there is a small pocket of time it should be allotted to one of these activities. Even the schedule of the children these days, is jam-packed. They go to school, then swimming classes, football or cricket practices, dance or piano sessions, play video games, Facebook and twitter and snapchat and Instagram and blah. It probably leads to burn out? Aren't they overdoing things much more than the capacity of the mind and body? 

In all this running around, I just wonder how it feels to do nothing? I mean, how about getting up late one day, not to read the newspapers, not to switch on TV, touch neither your phone nor the laptop. Just sit idle, maybe spend more time with family, have a cup of tea, look outside the window, observe the hustle bustle around, just be lazy. Won't that be so much relaxing? 

Sitting in a cab, why do I immediately open my laptop and keep using the phone? Why don't I just chat with the driver? At dinner time, why do I need to switch on the TV? Can there ever be a quiet dinner? In a meeting room, why do I keep my laptop open and not participate 100% in the discussion? 

I once questioned one of my senior colleague, who used a car for her commute but never drove herself. I asked her what she did while sitting in the car. She told me that she did a lot of thinking while sitting quietly which is equally or more important for her job. 

For me, it was a new concept. I can also think a lot to close all the threads going on in my mind, while switching contexts between work and family. So, on my way to work, I mentally close down on all the personal stuff and put those aside, and slowly reinstate the work related threads such as which bugs to close today, whom to consult for a work related matter and what to respond to the emails in my inbox. Similarly, on the way back I close the open threads and think if I need to purchase groceries or pay bills or call someone. And this is super important especially for someone like me who has difficulty managing multiple threads and has high overhead for switching contexts.

Likewise, I always question Megha about what she does during her hour long commute daily and she said that she did nothing, not even listening to music. How much ever I persuaded her to pick up reading as a habit, but she was never convinced. But I never realized how important and relaxing it can be to just do nothing but just sit and observe your surroundings. Maybe that's why she has a very sharp focus and is blessed to get a sound sleep unlike me who has ten things running into the mind before getting to sleep. 

Lately, I am trying to reduce my habit to read or listen or surf during the commute. And it really makes a difference. It is like the intermission for the mind when it can relax. I hope it calms my anxiety levels and helps in increasing my concentration. What do you think?