March Break has always provided me with special time to reflect on work and experience life with a fresh perspective. The break from regular routines and everyday stressors – all while looking ahead to the rebirth of spring – can be transformative and even healing. This year I was fortunate to spend a lot of time outdoors in the redwood forests and coastal areas of Northern California, which was the perfect reset after a winter season riddled with respiratory illnesses and challenges at work.
The change of scenery made me seriously reflect on my health and the importance of wellness, especially as a teacher in today’s hyper-connected digital world. The cold air, poor internet, and staggeringly gorgeous natural environment truly sent me to another world.
As teachers, we are constantly connecting with other educators, moving from student-to-student, and planning the next lesson. We are frequently pressured to to “do more with less”, or to achieve an increasing amount of goals and objectives – with less resources, time and support. Add the constant notifications and distractions brought about from the digital tools and social media, and it’s easy to forget what it feels like to not feel busy – to truly do nothing.
It is important for our mental well-being to stop and, to use author Jenny O’Dell’s words – “do nothing”. To “do nothing” is a radical act of self-care in the context of today’s attention economy, where one’s entire day is potentially productive and “monetizable”. She writes:
“In a situation where every waking moment has become the time in which we make our living, and when we submit even our leisure for numerical evaluation via likes on Facebook and Instagram… time becomes an economic resource that we can no longer justify spending on ‘nothing.’ It provides no return on investment; it’s simply too expensive.”
O’Dell’s point reminds me of the phrase “wasting time”, something we often say when we find ourselves in the act of doing nothing. Rather than considering the restorative effect of “idle” time, we often lean toward the notion that it is better to be busy or productive.
I felt the difference of “doing nothing” walking through the woods and watching rainstorms blow in from the cottage we had rented. While my mind still went into a bit of a whirlwind when I started thinking about other things I could be doing, I did my best to let it all go. Intentionally abandoning distractions and productivity felt restorative and calming, and it became much easier to have fun after I got used to it.
As educators, it’s so important to know when its time to focus on the maintenance and self-care. There needs to be time to rest and recover from whatever is impacting your mental and physical being. Adequate sleep and moments of nothingness are essential to ensuring we can handle the challenges and surprises of the next day.
I work with so many hardworking and inspiring educators and I can say without a doubt that there is a collective sense of feeling more stressed and tired than usual as the needs of the workplace have increased. We are not doing “more with less,” but more at a personal expense, whether it is personal resources or valuable time with family, loved ones, or taking the necessary time it takes to recharge and “do nothing”.
It’s also important to help students to understand how today’s modern, attention-grabbing digital economy impacts their health and well-being. As educators of digital media literacy and social emotional learning, we need to tell students when and why it’s time to turn off the screen and to spend time outdoors for play, socialization, and exploration.
Taking the time to reflect the importance of “doing nothing” as an essential act of self-care and resistance can do wonders for your mental wellness. Bringing this approach into your teaching practice can also enhance learning in today’s digital learning environment.
