I’m a big fan of doing nothing! Why? Because in the same way our bodies need breaks from exercise, our minds need downtime too.
So when was the last time you did nothing? I’m talking about diddly squat, staring into space nothing, or what Mickey Flanagan calls ‘old school nothing’ (if you know, you know!).
These moments are important for our psychological wellbeing, they help us process our days and actually aid in our motivation in the long term.
But over the past decade, as screen time has increased, our downtime has become increasingly ‘active’. Screens offer us easy and accessible entertainment, but certain kinds of screen-based activity might be having the opposite effect to what we need.
Social media, particularly the type that bring you lots of rapid-fire content (like TikTok and Instagram), do not help the brain rest. Studies have shown that certain areas of the brain, the parts involved in pleasure, reward, motivation, and even our sense of self, are highly active during social media scrolling.
So, whilst it might feel like social scrolling is an opportunity to ‘turn your brain off’, these apps are, in fact, having the opposite effect. Social media leaves your brain perpetually switched on during your quiet moments, depriving your brain of its chance to take a moment to chill out. You can end up feeling frazzled.
So here’s a remedy – and a challenge! The Dutch have a concept, Niksen, which quite literally means ‘to do nothing’. Stuff like staring out the window or watching a fly buzzing around the room. Sounds boring? Exactly!
If you’re used to always being stimulated, you’ll find 10 minutes of Niksen surprisingly difficult. You might find it uncomfortable, because we’ve become so used to being busy, even in our free time.
The next time you get some much-needed downtime, why not try Niksen? Even if it’s for just a minute, your brain will thank you.
If you want less on your mind, check out our brand new Social Media Detox keynote/webinar. It’s for anyone, of any age. It’s guaranteed to get people talking and, more importantly, by replacing bad habits with refreshing new ones, you wrestle your life back.
It works brilliantly as a team workshop. Deets here or drop me an email at ollie@artofbrilliance.co.uk