I was developing a bad habit. As soon as my eyes snapped open in the morning I would reach for my iPhone sitting on the bedside table and start reading through Tweets and emails and typing away. Rewind back three months ago and I had experienced a three-week whirlwind that culminated in leaving my job, selling my condo in Boston and moving to the Vermont countryside. Oh yeah, and getting married. My head was still spinning.
Restrained Freedom
I was now free from the rat race and determined never to look back. And I mean teeth gritted, nose to the grind stone determined. Within a month of seeking peace in Vermont I found myself running four businesses and getting just as frazzled as I was at my desk job (and making my new husband miserable). So there I was, iPhone in hand, knowing I’d taken a turn down the wrong path.
15-Minute Therapy
One weary morning I woke up and instead of hitting the computer I parked myself in the big, comfy armchair and stared blankly out the window. All I wanted to do was nothing. Eventually I let my eyes close and listened to the rhythmic sound of my slow breath. I felt some of the tension melting off my scalp. I sat like that for another 15 minutes and by the time I opened my eyes the scene around me had taken on a gentler quality. My thoughts slowed their sprinting.
When I did hit the keyboard that morning I felt calm, inspired, creative. Ideas flowed. I enjoyed the work. I got more done even though I started later and took a longer lunch break. Amazing.
I decided to test this new trick on my second issue – racing thoughts before bed. Fifteen more minutes in the armchair before bed and I slept like a baby. Miracle.
Productive Unproductivity
Now these sessions have become part of my routine. When I’m tempted to skip because I “don’t have time” I remind myself that the opposite is true. My day takes on a different quality, a quality that makes me more productive and more importantly, peaceful. I think the key is the doing nothing part of the exercise. Us highly motivated people struggle with that. We don’t want to waste a moment while the rest of the world is out there networking or blogging or improving their SEO. Even while I’m sitting in silence just breathing my mind wants to do something, meditate, problem solve, figure out world peace. But the more I can tune it all out and allow myself to do nothing, the better I feel.
So give it a shot. You may find that doing nothing is the most important thing you can do for your business and yourself.
