Idleness As Tool Not Trouble
Idleness is the state of inactivity, but it does not carry a negative connotation with it definition. That negative connotation is imposed by a moralistic, narrow interpretation of this state of being. The negative associations of being idle are also part of a society that commodifies our being and time, where it’s all transactional. From an early age we are taught that “the devil makes work for idle hands”. With the onset of the industrial revolution humans were instructed in the use of every minute of their time because time was money. Even the educational system in the United States is geared towards creating workers that will move obediently from one room to the next when the buzzer sounds.
The ability to periodically break free from our over-scheduled, over structured lives is necessary for our mental wellness, science shows the benefits to the brain are clear. By allowing for idleness we welcome unconscious thoughts, unconscious thoughts that improve creativity, decision making and more. Simply put when we are consciously busy or working the hardest our brain is not necessarily able to do much. However, when we engage in idle activities such as walking parts of our brain are freed up and kick in. For example, daydreaming improves the brains ability to problem solve.
The philosopher Aristotle talked about it as a cornerstone of intellectual enlightenment. Leisure was something that not everyone was allowed in the slave society that Aristotle was part of. Problem solving, creativity, and I believe our overall well-being as individuals and a society depends on us making room for this inactivity or leisure. This would include downtime, time for activities that don’t appear to be “productive”, welcoming that for ourselves and others. I believe the benefits will be seen in our mental abilities and in our mental health and wellness when we do.
Resources
Creswell, J. D., Bursley, J. K., & Satpute, A. B. (2013). “Neural reactivation links unconscious thought to decision-making performance.” Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 8(8), 863–869.
Godwin, Christine A et al. “Functional connectivity within and between intrinsic brain networks correlates with trait mind wandering.” Neuropsychologia vol. 103 (2017): 140-153.
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