Coach Notes - The Importance of Idle Time

March 2004

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Be clear about your needs. Don't moan vaguely, "I need more time to myself." State clearly, "I'd like to spend 20 minutes by myself in the morning before everyone gets up."

Be on the lookout for stolen moments. Use the canceled dental appointment to sit on a park bench watching pigeons.

Practice doing nothing. "Doing nothing" is an art, and like all art you need to practice it to reach your highest potential.

How we define idle time varies by individual. For example, for one person, gardening may be meditative downtime, whereas for another, it is

one more item on the to-do list (to be done as quickly as possible). The woods is a great place to stroll through for one person, an opportunity to be in and with nature; for another, it's a great place for a power walk while dictating letters into a small tape recorder.

Our idle time should be like a beautiful flower: it has no purpose. It's just there. And yet, it refreshes us and reminds us of nature's glory.

Do something that has no purpose other than joy. Take a half-hour a day to surprise and delight yourself. Keep it simple, and keep it consistent. If your idle time becomes a "program," or becomes progress toward some productive goal, begin again.

It's stunning, how simple it really is.

Burnout: A Toxic Byproduct of Not Enough Idle Time
"My candle burns at both ends/it will not last the night." —Edna St. Vincent Millay

Though burnout resists simple definition, it is clear that it affects us physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

One of the first physical symptoms of burnout is fatigue and a sloth-like moving through one's day. Intellectually, there may be a loss of creativity and sharpness in problem solving; cynicism may replace enthusiasm. Emotionally, the loss of dreams and expectations can result in feelings of helplessness and depression. In the social realm, isolation overtakes feeling of involvement, and spiritually, the person experiencing burnout may feel a lack of meaning or purposelessness to her life.

According to a recent study, one in three Americans is expected to burn out on the job in the near future and, in the two years preceding the study, 14% of the work force quit or changed jobs due to job stress.

How can you avoid becoming one of the burnout statistics? First, recognize the warning signs:

feelings of frustration and never being caught up
a feeling of lack of control about how to do your job or what goes on in the workplace
emotional outbursts
emotional outbursts
dread of going to work
frequent sickness or health problems
increased use of alcohol, drugs or food consumption
a desire to quit (or run away) but a fear of doing so
withdrawal and isolation

Taking a few days off or a vacation to Tahiti won't contain the burnout. Neither will simply leaving one job for another. Burnout has more to do with attitudes, work styles and behavior than it does the specific job situation.

Here are some ways to avoid burnou:

Self-management. Take the time to set goals and objectives, review them with others, make sure they're attainable and clear.

Stress management. Know your own responses to stress and develop a plan to manage it. Exercise, take breaks, eat healthfully, leave work at work, make time for play and rest. Discover what works best for you and your body and practice good self-care habits.

Support systems. Family, friends, co-workers, professional organizations—all these support systems can help in times of stress.

Skill building. Look for challenges and opportunities to learn new skills and participate in activities that use your natural skills, talents and abilities. Rather than becoming stagnant, you'll be able to grow.

Balance. Seek a balanced and well-structured lifestyle. Avoid boredom. Determine what's important to you and create a lifestyle that embraces and supports you.

Think positively. Replace negativity with optimistic thinking. Helpless thinking is a major contributor to burnout.

Be creative. Look for a different approach to the same problems or to unpleasant situations. Break free from your everyday routine. Let your workspace express your individuality.

Humor and playfulness. Humor reduces stress, promotes physical healing, is essential for mental health and can add years to your life. No wonder they say humor is the best antidote. Enjoy yourself.