The importance of idleness: Agree or disagree?

Submitted by David on Sat, 2009-01-31 17:34

The best lesson from the myths of Newton and Archimedes is to work passionately but to take breaks. Sitting under trees and relaxing in baths lets the mind wander and frees the subconscious to do work on our behalf. Freeman Dyson, a world-class physicist and author agrees, "I think it's very important to be idle ... people who keep themselves busy all the time are generally not creative. So I am not ashamed of being idle." This isn't to justify surfing instead of studying: it's only when activities are done as breaks that the change of activity pays off. Some workaholic innovators tweak this by working on multiple projects at the same time, effectively using work on one project as a break from the other. Edison, Darwin, da Vinci, Michelangelo, and van Gogh all regularly switched between different projects, occasionally in different fields, possibly accelerating an exchange of ideas and seeding their minds for new insights.

- Scott Berkun, Myths of Innovation, p. 12

Comments

Sarennah

Sun, 2009-02-01 00:45

Thinking back to my university assignments: If I stayed up late working on an essay at some point I ended up just staring at the screen not knowing what to write next. Taking a break for a snack or a nap can be just the thing to get you started again.

Does recess / lunch in schools count as idleness? Or is it merely a different type of activity for your physical and social well-being? Humans are more than mental beings.

I don't know the answer.. just some thoughts.