Another vote for "Fragmented"

[elfs]

Peter Bregman says he returned his iPad. His isn't a rant on iPads, or tablets in general, but instead I think reaches out to the whole of the Internet. In a world where we're "always connected," "always available," "capable of doing work away from the office," (Seth Godin recently said, "If we were starting this whole office thing today, it's inconceivable we'd pay the rent/time/commuting cost to get what we get. I think in ten years the TV show 'the Office' will be seen as a quaint antique."), we're capable of being busy all the time.

But busy isn't done or creative. He writes:

But something — more than just sleep, though that's critical too — is lost in the busyness. Something too valuable to lose.

Boredom.

Being bored is a precious thing, a state of mind we should pursue. Once boredom sets in, our minds begin to wander, looking for something exciting, something interesting to land on. And that's where creativity arises.

My best ideas come to me when I am unproductive. When I am running but not listening to my iPod. When I am sitting, doing nothing, waiting for someone. When I am lying in bed as my mind wanders before falling to sleep. These "wasted" moments, moments not filled with anything in particular, are vital.

They are the moments in which we, often unconsciously, organize our minds, make sense of our lives, and connect the dots. They're the moments in which we talk to ourselves. And listen.

To lose those moments, to replace them with tasks and efficiency, is a mistake. What's worse is that we don't just lose them. We actively throw them away.

Comments

[shunra.livejournal.com]

Amen to that!

My family's all away for a while, and I am able to spend as MUCH time as I want online, with nothing to distract me from the distractions.

I think this is the least productive time I've ever had since high school.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Amen. I drive my friends crazy because unless I have a very good reason I always leave my cell phone off and only use it call when I'm on the road and there's a chance I might be late for something. I don't like the idea of being constantly available.

[reynai.livejournal.com]

This was the subject of one of Asimov's demon stories -- a writer who complained of never having time to write because the little inconveniences chipped away at his day. Take away those little inconveniences, he complains that he has no time to think anymore, and cannot write.

[autopope.livejournal.com]

Creative boredom is very important, yes. That's the only article I've read so far with a good reason for returning the iPad (although its validity is highly subjective).

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

My view of the net is that (I) decide what I want to do with it. I don't use IM programs and I don't run Skype -- if I'm at my computer it means I'm doing something and interrupting it wrecks what I'm doing. It is not difficult to stay connected when you decide that you run the connection and the connection does not run you.

As for using my stuff for work, I'll do it occasionally. But the moment it gets too frequent I mention to the higher ups that they'll need to start paying me extra for the use of my gear if they want to continue to do so. Amazing how fast that stops when I do.

[gromm.livejournal.com]

Or, more to the point for everyone who isn't a creative type:

Being bored means that you get more actual work done, instead of frittering your time away on Ebay.