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Monday, August 15, 2011

Productivity: Healthy Breaks vs. Brain Numbing

When you want to get more creative, some times cleaning your house helps. With a clean environment you can think more clear and feel more refreshed. In the same way, exercising regularly allows for the blood to flow through you and helps to reduce stress. With an organized desk and home, more time can be spent focusing on being creative.

Today I took my dogs out for a run, as I cycled on my bike in the light drizzling rain and enjoyed it. It allowed me to clear my head and get away from video editing. For me, I feel that taking time to relax is not my preference. Instead, my preference is to continue to work on my craft every day. I do not believe that one can become a better writer, filmmaker, editor, artist- by taking breaks. It is important to relax, but for me it is more important to constantly work on developing your skill. If I do need to relax or take a break, it is important to know how to do it.

Craft development can only be achieved if you have everything else in your life straight.

1. Clean your house, apartment, room, work desk.

2. Get enough sleep and try to stay on some sort of sleep routine.

3. Exercise.

4. Social network, but make sure to take nature retreats.

5. Calm Family and home with finances in order.



Nature Retreats is a good way to take a break because you are taking a break from technology- which is different than deciding to stop filming, writing or painting for a long period of time. Taking a nature retreat for a day or an afternoon is healthy. It is the best way to get inspired. But, brain numbing is not a good way to clear your head as I wrote in my previous blog.

Brain numbing = being unconscious and being unconscious is a form of avoidance. Here are some ways people numb themselves.

Brain numbing:

1. Alcohol.

2. Drugs.

3. Video Games.

4. Internet- Hours on the internet (surfing, social media & etc).

5. Watching TV or Films (I am not just saying for a 3-4 hours, but spending nearly your entire day in front of the tv).

There is nothing wrong with numbing your brain from time to time. I am not advocating illegal substances, but rather legal brain numbing activities are fine in limited quantities. It is better to do brain numbing for short periods of times rather than getting stuck in it. When one becomes stuck in "brain numbing" unconscious living, time slips and so does your goals and truly living.  Real living is not numbing yourself with drugs, alcohol, technology, tv and etc.

Real living is being conscious and present and paying attention to others. Being open to meeting new people and not willing to retract in to your comfort zone. When you become conscious,  you begin to absorb more of life and you begin experiencing more, thus having more of life to draw from. When you allow yourself to experience new things, you become a better writer, filmmaker, artist because you have created new memories and stories to share with the world.