I once read an article that resonated with me, talking about how smart phones are going to harm our creativity and our minds. The article talked about how important down time is and being lost in our thoughts, but unfortunately with the mobility of smart phones (mini computers) people immediately pick up their phone and check social media, their email, the news, etc. I find that I’m not often bored or lost in my thoughts because I either have my phone or Kindle accessible to ensure I have something to do. But what’s so bad about being bored? Are we afraid of our own thoughts?

Some people say they do their best thinking in the shower. It’s quite possibly because that’s the only time they have down time. We’ve created an environment of movers and shakers, but is that making us lose our creativity as well?

This past weekend my KISA was going crazy because I spent about 10 hours total in a car. There wasn’t much for cell coverage, so I couldn’t catch up with friends or family. And, radio stations were very spotty except one tribal Native American one. That left me alone with my thoughts for quite a while. During this time I let my creative juices flow and was scheming up plans and ideas. When I’d share them with my KISA, who had a friend in town and therefore had no down time to think, he’d laugh and tell me he couldn’t keep up and that we could talk about all those things later. In person. (He knows how to handle me.)

The last two days I’ve been at a National Sales Meeting with literally no down time. Not only am I attending, but I’m also helping host, which means the breaks most people get are times for me to send emails to the RVP’s to inform them of dinner plans, or to run reports of the results from a challenge, or to explain to the blackjack dealer how we want the competition run. By the time I get back to my room at night I’m exhausted and burnt out. And left with no creative juices and being forces to be reactive with everything instead of being proactive.

I’m starting to think that maybe my February challenge should be to not only stop all social media for the month, but to use my phone for only basic needs: texting, calling, GPS, and emails. Maybe then I’ll find the time to respond to emails, write the post cards from India, call back friends, Skype with my nieces and nephews, etc. Or, you know, get bored and lost in my thoughts. Do you think you could do it for a whole month?