Downtime is as important as deep work
Downtime gets its fair share of bad reputation. In a culture where we glorify working overtime, calling yourself a workaholic is often seen as a badge of honor. Mapping out every minute of the day and constantly hustling has done more harm than good- and is not sustainable.
The need to achieve and maintain a work-life balance became an essential as lines between work and home blurred over the last year. With more people complaining about experiencing burn-outs, it is time to get serious about downtime. Making time for downtime replenishes our attention reserve, and this is often the reason why you end up working better after taking a break. Research has shown that our brain is like any other muscle and it needs rest periods to energize and work better. Downtime aims to make this happen.
While it may seem like you are doing nothing to the outside world, during downtime, a part of the brain forms a neural network called default mode network, DMN, is engaged and is working actively. In this state of rest, DMN is processing everything we have done so far- the things we did the entire day, the conversations we have had, and make sense of it all. On the contrary, every minute spent on distraction can deplete our mental energy cognition.
Taking regular nature walks, spending time away from devices, meditation, and actively NOT thinking about anything in particular, are some of the ways that you can have downtime in your routine.
During downtime, we are making room for new ideas to come, for them to stay and for them to flourish. It is important to choose an activity that allows you to be distraction-free. Downtime is NOT doom-scrolling on social media, it is NOT catching up on emails. It is an activity that allows you to completely switch off and take your attention away from your current pre-occupation.
Downtime is complimentary to deep work. The quality of your downtime improves the quality of your attention, and works to help you concentrate better during your deep work. Downtime helps you recharge your batteries, and is essential for maintaining your overall well-being.
