Let’s dream bigger, okay?
As adults, when did we stop daydreaming?
It’s so easy to become consumed with work, weekend plans, entertainment, and our day-to-day problems that we don’t have any time left for our minds to wander. Or perhaps, living in a capitalist society has taught us to equate unproductive downtime with laziness.
Recently, I was on a long flight listening to an audiobook that advocated for the death of downtime. When commuting, don’t waste your time with silly daydreams, it preached. Instead, do something to better yourself and learn something that will help with your career.
While I’m all for ambition, hard work, and making the most of our time, I fear that this isn’t the right approach.
When we fill our downtime with constant stimulation, even if it’s educational and productive, we greatly harm our ability to daydream. Like any muscle, we must consciously allow our minds to wander.
When we stop dreaming, we become stuck in a cycle of history and patterns rather than exploring a new cycle of imagination and innovation. Downtime is precious time for us to conjure up new dreams and fantasies.
Back in 2020 when I was stuck at home during COVID-19, I hopped on a free career coaching Zoom call. I still…
