We’ve all heard that “idle minds are the devil’s workshop.”
A recent discovery in mind science demonstrated what happens with our idle minds. It looks like the old saying is, well, true. Here’s the quick scoop:
- In a study at the University of Virginia, subjects were placed alone in rooms and told to sit still and do nothing but think – for a time ranging from 6 to 15 minutes. Simple right?
- Prior to the idle mind time, they were each given a mild electric shock, then told they could shock themselves during their idle time if they wanted. By the way, the subjects all said they’d be willing to pay money to avoid that shock again.
- However, when the study was completed, 67% of the men and 25% of the women shocked themselves during their idle mind time. Women did it on average 2.3 times/session while men averaged 1.6 times. One soul hit the button over 190 times. I’d love to have a conversation with that person!
It seems that idle minds, are, indeed, the source of less than ideal thinking.
Why Idle Minds Aren’t A Good Thing
Our minds are designed to be busy. To process inputs, parse information, create new ideas. When we’re focused on creating something new and exciting, solving a fun problem or other upside agendas, our idle mind is our ideal mind.
In the absence of positive stimulus, we will seek a stimulus, even if it’s negative. That is the key here. If we’re not focused on something, busy with our minds, creating and looking forward, we will focus our creativity on negative possibilities, seek out potential threats and even seek to experience a negative stimulus – just to have active sensory inputs.
In today’s world, many humans are programmed to focus more on negative than positive. We worry about the economy, the environment, our kids’ safety, our bank account, our jobs, our spouses or partners. All too often we worry about what can go wrong more than we focus on positive results.
The modern worry program means that when our minds are idle – we are highly likely to fall into negative thought patterns.
No breakout innovation or business success ever came from idle minds with negative thought patterns. Which is why we have to shift our modern programming.
From Idle to Ideal In 3 Easy Steps
So how do we transform our idle minds into ideal minds? We change our habits and our focus. Here are 3 ideas.
- Keep a busy list. Keep a list of all the things that need to be done in your mind, all the great new ideas and concepts that pop up as you’re going through your day. Note areas where you’d love to spend some time brainstorming future options in your life and business. Then, when your mind is idle (like when you’re driving home), pull out that list and work it. Focus forward on the positive and creating new things.
- Pay Attention. Start by paying attention to what you’re thinking when you’re not focused on work or life. Every time you slip into listing the issues, problems, bad things that might happen – shift. Pull out your list and focus on the positive future. Over time, you’re program will shift from bringing up the potential threats to bringing up the potential opportunities for your thinking time.
- Practice a positive idle. We all have time when our minds wander. So practice wandering toward the future and the upside. Take 15 minutes a day and focus on your ideal job, life, work, business, product, whatever. Imagine it in every possible detail. Focus on that instead of the potential negatives and you’ll further reprogram your idle mind.
The Bottom Line
We are in control of our minds.
We determine if our idle minds are a problem – or the ideal mind for creating a breakout life.
Sure, there are problems we need to focus on. That’s not idle mind time – that’s focused time.
Focus on the problems when you need to, then shift into focusing forward on the upside in your world with your idle mind. That’s the ideal way to re-program your idle. Then sit back and watch the shift.
Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and 89studio
5 Comments
Bill Benoist
July 7, 2014 - 3:51 pmThis is an interesting piece because I’ve noticed recently during morning walks (when I want to clear my mind) just how much negative self-talk actually comes through. Although I do pat myself on the back for just being aware of the thoughts, I’m definitely going to try out your three ideas.
Great post!
rebel brown
July 8, 2014 - 10:02 amTHANKS for stopping by and commenting Bill. I’ve always been a believer that we create our lives through our thoughts. Neuroscience has now proven that’s true! What’s so interesting to me is that we are all so darned programmed to think negatively. Did you know that before we’re 17 years old, we’re told we CAN”T 150000 times and we CAN only 5000 times? That’s a 30:1 negative programming. NO WONDER when our minds wander we go negative.
The great news is – we now understand that we can reprogram our mindware (the software that drives our brains) throughout our lives. With simple techniques that change our focus. And when we change our focus – our reality follows.
PLEASE let me know how the tips work for you! I have lots more where those came from!
Brigitte Kobi
July 8, 2014 - 11:55 amI like your article. My habit is to focus on what I want which keeps the negative things quite small. Moreover, I go running or do other sports which has a very positive impact on my thinking.
rebel brown
July 10, 2014 - 6:24 amThanks for stopping by Brigitte
Focusing on what you want is a great way to reprogram your unconscious mind. We create new programs based on our focus. Keep your focus steady on what you want for a period of time – and it will become your new dominant thought! And exercise is always great – as long as we stay focused on what we want while we’re doing it!
Thanks for the thoughts!!!
Dan Aldridge
July 11, 2014 - 5:33 pmHi Rebel,
like the idea of taking 15 minutes a day to focus on a positive future. I’ve had times where the idle thoughts turn negative because there’s always some deadline to meet or deal to fixate on. I find it helpful to meditate and practice mindfulness for 10 minutes or so a day. Really thinking about absolutely NOTHING for a few minutes helps focus too. I thinks that’s kind of what you’re saying with #3, right?
BTW, the study results were amusing and really not all that surprising. I live in Virginia and have visited UVA many times. Maybe if the study had been changed to sit idle on Rugby Road, then they may have had more favorable results!
Cheers,
Dan