The layman definition of idle is basically 'doing nothing'. And for most of us, that's a life we want to live. But idleness has a deeper connotation than just that.
The mind is the most complex tool that we are gifted with. Human kind was able to discover fire, internet and Hollywood using this fine tool. From cave dwellers to slick and suavely clothed city dwellers, we have come a long way. And yet, we are still slaves to our mind. For all it's usefulness, the mind also has its dark side and is similar to a double edged sword.
For all it's usefulness, it can also act as a weapon of destruction. How many times, have you lost your mind and allowed it to wander into darker terrains. Or perhaps allowed it to dictate your actions.
With the constant streams of information from social media platforms, doing nothing and something has a different meaning all together now. How many times have you sat on your computer, industrious with plans, tasks and schedules only to be distracted by the pinging from your phone. You promise yourself a couple of minutes, to check the notifications and poof the hours 'magically disappear'. I am not calling out anyone but this is a truth we must face.
The oppositions might argue, "But we are clearly doing something?"
Sure, I mean checking your messages, scrolling down your Instagram page and tweeting hilarious bits is clearly your mind at work. But how much of it is being done intentionally with purpose and how does these acts contribute to your life. Social media is a form of distraction that enables our mind to wander and lose control of what matter's. So in whole, your mind is still idle because it is essentially doing nothing.
In other cases, not engaging the mind with anything leads the mind to engage with itself. By leaving it to it's own devices, we are allowing the mind to over think and conjure negative thoughts. Have you ever noticed, whenever you sit around and stay idle your imagination goes wild and all sorts of possibilities and ridicules scenarios are playing in your head. True case scenario, the minute I sit around and do nothing, my mind is bombarded with the worst case that can happen to me. (The house catching on fire, vermin infestation or a possible Conjuring moment - Thanks Brain!)
In the long run, this could take a toll on your mental health and is detrimental to you and the people around you. Idle people have a higher tendency to fall prey to depression, bingeing especially on food, drugs or other detrimental and unhealthy habits. Idleness could also lead to various sickness and dissolve one's true purpose of being.
As a forethought, we have to train the mind to always be occupied with purpose and clear intention. Idleness is identified as the root of all evil thus practice and fill your time usefully by writing in a gratitude diary, meditating, implementing positive self-affirmations and planning your day ahead systematically.
By practicing meditation, this could clear the unpurposeful and negative thoughts. Filling our head only with intention and a single minded belief system. Thus, leading a more wholesome and holistic life. Instead of allowing idleness zap out the pure and clear notions in our head, we should be practicing to keep our thoughts clear and acts full of meaning.
What are idle acts that you perform on a daily basis, that zaps out the 'oomph' to your zeal?
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