Down Time is one of the 7 daily essential mental activities that we need to expose our mind to in order to optimise our brain and perform at our very best.
Decades of mind-body research has shown that in order to experience creative and insightful breakthroughs, you need to : A) Immerse yourself in the work you are doing, B) Step away from the work by switching your mind in another direction, C) Allow your unconscious mind to percolate and present you with new ideas.
“Down Time” is one way you can switch your mind in that other direction. Down time is actually intentionally having no intention, of consciously engaging in doing nothing specific or “preplanned,” a process of disconnecting from intended directions and surrendering to daydreaming, letting our minds wander off in no particular direction with spontaneity and freedom.
Downtime may occur between activities: while waiting for an appointment or an airplane, while listening to music or sifting through a magazine that is, if we do not really pay sustained, focused attention to what is heard or written.
If we consciously choose to spend down time, we might find a comfortable chair, in the comfort of our living room or in the shadow of a tree, and disconnect from an intentional, linear focus on our environment.
Think of down time as literally being un-goal-focused. Hanging out, being with one’s surroundings, being spontaneous, having no particular goal or focus, as one might do on a lazy Sunday morning with no plans.
Down time is more about “being” in the moment with spontaneous emergence of whatever activity may or may not arise rather than “doing” a preplanned activity with a goal or preset agenda.
So if you want to tap into the source of your vast creative and insightful thinking, simply disconnect to later reconnect and display your brilliance!