Time to Engage in Some Trivial Pursuits

The summer has been zooming-by (pun intended, I have been living on Zoom lately, you with me?). This has me thinking about how often I have truly stepped back from my work to recharge my batteries so I can be fully present in life. To be honest, it has not been as much as it should be. 

The summertime is usually when the world slows down, and we can take some time to connect with what is really important, but it seems like that has been getting harder to do now that most of us don't have a clear separation from our work and personal life. With all of the disruption and uncertainty we have been through, we especially need time to take our minds off things so that we can clear out the built-up tension in our minds, hearts, and bodies. 

I know that you know how important it is to take a break, but what you might not know is how you use your downtime can make a big difference! When you take time off, try to engage in a new activity, something completely unrelated to your work or daily routines. A trivial or novel pursuit can ignite new creative thinking. According to neuroscience, every human brain can learn and is infinitely creative; New neural pathways are unlimited. The key is to break out of your patterns by exposing yourself to new ideas and experiences so you can create cognitive flexibility (This is called the Insight-Innovation Loop). 

So what are some new experiences you would like to try during your next day off? I would love to hear from you.