What a pretentious title. I typically listen to podcasts or YouTube videos at work, but last night with an hour to go; I turned everything off and toiled away in silence. It got me thinking, some of the most interesting ideas that have come to me come in moments like that.
With no other stimuli to distract the mind wanders, bringing forth ideas which have been simmering in the background. I suppose it is similar to meditation, except that I am too fidgety to sit still while being quiet; I need to keep busy or I cannot find that flow state where the muse peeks out from behind the curtain and laughs at me.
When I can, I go for walks around the neighbourhood. I don’t take my phone or listen to any tunes. Just wander about looking around. It is the same kind of environment that I was in last night. I’m doing something, but nothing that uses any engaged thought so my mind wanders. Ideas play with others and spawn horrific idea homunculi which are forced to battle each other in the Idea Thunderdome. Only the strongest survive to be remembered by the time I get home.
Whether it is doing menial tasks in solitude, meditation, or something else that gets the mind flowing; I am going to try to make sure that I am actively setting aside some time to let the ideas flow.
I have been on a health kick this week; this is just another part of it. Mental health needs to be looked after, more than physical health in my opinion.