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Idle Time...Good Or Bad?

by ryanbiddulph
13 replies
Sometimes I view idle time as an unwrapped gift. It does me no good because I have yet to open the present that is the present.

Other times I have received my most inspirational ideas when doing, feeling or thinking about nothing.

I guess it depends on your definition of idle time.

What do you guys think?

Ryan Biddulph
#bad #idle #timegood
  • Profile picture of the author StacyHolmes
    Hi!

    I love(d) my Grandpa very much and think of him often. He passed about ten years ago. One of the things that comes to my mind about him is how he loved to sit in the yard or on the porch, thinking. People don't do that as much these days - life is frantic and rushed.

    But every day after supper, he would sit on the porch and think. He was always great at coming up with business ideas - things he could do to make money. In fact, he would always think things through and by the time he got down to executing his plan, the actual "doing" part of the plan was simple and almost effortless.

    Sometimes, I sit in the yard and think. I'm not as effortless in my execution as Grandpa was, but it helps me put my thoughts together into a cohesive plan. Plus it gets me away from my computer and outside where there are birds and trees. And that is very therapeutic for this laptop jockey. :p
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    • Profile picture of the author naruq
      In My opinion Idle Time is Good! Sometimes I will sit in my Lazy Boy Chair and think for 30 straight minutes without doing anything.
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  • Profile picture of the author rmolina88
    When Market Samurai is taking forever to analyze my keywords, I better be enjoying my idle time!
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    • Profile picture of the author SmashTweet
      Quite a situational thing - it could prove to be good or bad, depending on what you want.
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      • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
        IMO, it could be a very lucrative time for you or it could be hazardous to your health, depending on what you do during that idle time.

        Your mind is never idle and you could be thinking things through and come up with a solution to a dilemma you're facing, or as you stated a brilliant idea or plan for something. Or perhaps in thinking of relaxing things, you could be alleviating high stres levels.

        On the other hand, if you're shoving junk food or ice cream into the old pie hole, that could be unhealthy! Or if uncontrolled thoughts lead you down a precarious path of uncontrolled actions, then the idle time would definitely be not so healthy.

        It is a choice that you are ultimately in control of really.

        Terra
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  • Profile picture of the author Demond Jackson
    I am generally busy doing one thing or another, so I schedule and plan idle time. It works for me. Thinking and visualizing is a very productive part of my day.
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    • Profile picture of the author webwriter
      There's nothing wrong with idle time, really. You need some time to recharge and do something else. After that break, you find that you can work better.

      I learned that some time ago. Writing an article, I struggled for a long time with a paragraph. After awhile, I put my work aside and made a cup of tea. Sipping that tea, I read a few chapters of a novel. Before long, I was back and work on that paragraph and successfully finished writing it AND the remaining article.

      Had I not taken a break, I would still have been struggling.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Thanks for the feedback guys.

    As long as it's goal oriented idle team works for me.

    Ryan Biddulph
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  • Profile picture of the author he_who_brings_order
    I think that sometimes we should let the subconscious mind to work. It can bring us a lot of benefits.

    And subconscious mind works well in idle time...
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  • Profile picture of the author jasoncooper
    Personally, it really depends on how one makes use of this so called " idle time" . tip though, just make use of whatever time you have, idle or not. lol
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Exactly Jason, whatever you do, make it purposeful.

    RB
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    • Profile picture of the author Vogin
      Another name for "idle time" is "relaxation". I do that every day for at least five minutes. Go outside, sit or stand and just look around me. It really helps me to turn myself off for a while.
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  • Profile picture of the author alexbbbh
    Originally Posted by ryanbiddulph View Post

    Sometimes I view idle time as an unwrapped gift. It does me no good because I have yet to open the present that is the present.

    Other times I have received my most inspirational ideas when doing, feeling or thinking about nothing.

    I guess it depends on your definition of idle time.

    What do you guys think?

    Ryan Biddulph
    Hope I understand it correctly and we're referring to the same thing. I simply call it time off. Time when I disconnect. When I am all just to myself.

    As for advantages, it does wonders. For recharging my batteries. For stimulating creativity.

    Disadvantage. To much of it and you've slipped in a whole that is most times very difficult to get out of.

    alexbbbh,
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