Hi, My Name is Laura. And I Daydream.

I just read a happy little blog on wasting time.

This blog asserts that not all passive activity is wasting time. In fact, for the creative mind, much passive activity, such as staring out the window, is actually productive. I completely agree.

The other day in class, I found myself staring out the window, which I actually hardly ever do. I was watching people walk from building to building and wondering what each was thinking or feeling, their relationship with the person they were talking to, where they were headed, and if they were excited to get there.

This kind of exercise is clearly productive for the creative writer. Ask any of us, and we will tell you that people watching is just about the best thing we can do for new ideas or whenever we are stuck.

This blog suggested three criterion for monitoring if time is being wasted or not:
Does this activity make me feel calmer, happier, or more inspired?
Does this activity help me come up with ideas?
Does this activity help me solve problems in my life?

I think this is applicable to any kind of writing or for any kind of job, really. Let us all remember to take a moment to collect our thoughts. It's healthy. It's productive. And it's fun. :)