It’s time to breathe a sigh of relief. A budget’s been passed, the Fourth of July has come and gone, and the older generation’s always complained that taxes were going up, up, up! Let them gloat awhile.
It’s still summer, so let’s celebrate the laziest season of all. Kids are deeply immersed in the timeless freedom of summer by now. It’s like that first day during a week of vacation when we finally get through a day without a fleeting thought of things left undone back in the “real world.”
We all need a break from the demands of “real life.” Without giving our brains a chance to “take a breather” or our bodies a chance to slow down, we impair their ability to get their respective jobs done. Just like you can overwork your muscles, you can also overwork your brain.
Some of the most elegant solutions to life’s trickiest problems appear “like magic” when we’re least expecting it. Some people “sleep on a problem” and wake with the perfect solution. Others will daydream and bubble up creative possibilities.
Most of us know the story of Archimedes and his bathwater inspiration and Newton and his falling apple. Regardless of their veracity, the lessons these tales provide should be taken to heart. Brilliant ideas are set free when the brain is given the opportunity to wander aimlessly on its own.
There are still several weeks of summer left – don’t force your brain into a rut when it’s begging to be set free. Lay in the hammock and listen to the sprinklers whir. It may be exactly what you need to accomplish your best work to date!
I’m Suzanne Degges-White, and that’s my perspective.
