The power of disconnecting: Cultivating creativity and effectiveness.
Recently, I had a young friend of my son over at our house. At 25, he’s a pilot with strong values. He’s friendly and open, but there’s a hunger for growth in his reflections, accompanied by humility, which is always a good sign. However, despite his promising future, I noticed a certain restlessness in him, perhaps even an excess of it. He confessed to me that he doubted whether he should achieve more in life.
He shared his concerns with me repeatedly, and I sensed that he was somewhat consumed and excessively worried about the future.
Interestingly, he told me that his own family often told him that he overthought things and needed to learn to relax. Naturally, he asked for my opinion, and I offered it to him with clarity:
“You have a whole life ahead of you, at least around 45 years of opportunities. You must learn to enjoy the moment. But, when you do reflect, make sure your thoughts are effective and productive.”
I suggested what I usually advise both myself and others when facing similar concerns. Regarding the restlessness that overwhelms us, I always recommend two actions:
- Record your thoughts: Write down all those ideas that pass through your mind. It can be in a notebook or a digital file. This will help you shape and clarify your thoughts. What isn’t written down doesn’t exist.
- Schedule time for reflection: Allocate an hour each week to continue your reflections. This will allow you to see how your thoughts and actions evolve over time and if you gain new perspectives. Nothing beats frequency and consistency over time.
I advised him to avoid constant rumination about his concerns the rest of the time. He needed to relax and disconnect, especially concerning that particular topic. To do this, he had to ensure that, no matter how busy his schedule was, he found moments to take his mind off his worries.
By acting this way, we discover that disconnection is a powerful ally for stimulating creativity and effectiveness.
Now, it’s essential to understand why this works. When we work on something and give it a minimum structure in our conscious mind, by relaxing, we allow that information to pass into the subconscious. From that point on, our mind continues to work on it subconsciously. That’s why, at times, completely unexpectedly, a brilliant idea emerges from the depths of our mind during a walk, in the shower, or while driving.
However, for this process to be effective, it’s essential to follow the steps 1 and 2 mentioned earlier. Furthermore, it’s crucial to have hobbies or activities that disconnect us completely from our work responsibilities.
It can be anything from playing sports, painting, reading, cooking, meditating, or enjoying nature. The key is to find an activity that transports you to a state of relaxation and creativity, where you can set aside your concerns and allow your mind to work in the background.
Learning to disconnect is essential for cultivating creativity and effectiveness in our lives. Taking time to reflect effectively and then allowing our minds to work in the background can lead us to discover innovative solutions and strike a balance between reflection and action.
So, the next time you feel overwhelmed by worry and anxiety, remember the importance of disconnecting and giving your mind space to create and thrive.
What’s that activity that truly allows you to disconnect?
