“Busy” is overrated. When is the time to “unbusy” yourself and just do nothing?
–––
There is a disconnect in our lives strongly fueled by our inability to just do nothing. Americans in particular have a seemingly never ending obsession with always doing something. Which wouldn’t be so bad if being constantly busy made us healthier happier people, but it doesn’t and because of that we have a big problem.
On Average Americans Spend:
- 3.5 hours per day on social media
- 4 hours per day watching TV
- 8.8 hours per day working
Meanwhile:
- 13% of the overall population is on antidepressants
- Only 1 in 3 Americans report being happy
Looking at the numbers, we have a significant problem on our hands, we have a population who on average is spending over 16 hours per day combined at work, watching TV and on social media which is obviously not a recipe for happiness. Yet, activities like meditation, which has been shown to dramatically change our outlook, health and quality of life is so infrequent, there isn’t even a number to quantify who is doing it regularly.
Simply put, we have time to meditate, to sit quietly and appreciate a tree or a flower, to take a walk in our neighborhood or in the woods. We have time to cook a good meal and share it with our friends or family. We just choose not to.
Perhaps it is because of our industrious American spirit that we fill empty space with activities which make us feel like we are accomplishing or at least taking part in something. A spirit which is honorable if applied well, but disastrous if applied uniformly to every minute aspect of our lives.
Life and our bodies are made well by a balance of movement and stillness. Movement can be beneficial but also taxing, constant movement drains the body, emptying our reserves and leaving us open for illness, depression, fatigue, and insomnia. Stillness with intention and awareness rebuilds what has been weakened, it allows our creative mind to be set free and our organs to rest. Watching TV is not stillness, nor is time on Facebook or any other social media. As much as reading articles and playing online games may appear to relax us, they cannot replace simple conscious stillness.
Want the best of The Good Men Project posts sent to you by email? Join our mailing list here.
Illustration: khalid Albaih/FlickrThe post It Is Time To Do Nothing for Better Health appeared first on The Good Men Project.