Insight #27: On breaks and time off

Hello and welcome back everyone, this time to a fitting insight #27; On breaks and time off.

I suppose I should begin with a bit of an explanation. As I've mentioned before, insights are a strange thing. They arise, often sporadically, and go just as fast. The thing about insights is they need fuel to show themselves. What do I mean by fuel? Well, fuel can be anything, really. But the point is that fuel gives your mind things to think about, it can be books, a trip, a breakup. This past few months my fuel has been rather scarce, and my mind occupied with distraction. It kind of just happens sometimes, maybe to you, too. Insights do happen naturally, but they massively increase in number and quality when being consciously sought after, fueled and allowed to show, which I was not really doing. At any rate, onto the insight:

• We all know that breaks are good and we should make the space for them more often. The question is, why? Why can't we just work constantly, write constantly, or do whatever is needed of us all the time, (or even just consistently)? After all, it seems that's what our bosses and people around us often expect, right?

• Well, aside from the obvious “we are not machines” argument, and the also true “our bodies get tired” notion, there is something deeper, more mental I believe is at play.

• You see, the mind is indeed the key. There's a saying related to this, which goes something like “the brain is the most complex and capable computer ever, orders above even our current most advanced technologies”. If that's the case, then why can't our brains do complex calculations 24/7 like our MacBooks and phones can?

• I believe part of the reason is that our brains simply weren't designed that way. The brain is often divided when trying to understand it, we have conscious and unconscious parts, parts that deal with logic and parts that deal with art, or moving our hands, or keeping time.

• The first distinction to me is the most important for this insight. I believe the “conscious” part could theoretically work forever given the right circumstances. But the unconscious never could. You see, breaks, and in this case sleep specifically, trigger a mechanism of washing the conscious memory of the day into the unconscious. And the unconscious is actually the most human part of us.

• You can see this clearly with the advent of AI. If you ask one to make your homework, it probably can do it, and that's nice, but not impressive, really. However if an AI ever is capable of intuition, of a deep network of interconnection that gives rise to insight, ideas and more, it wouldn't just be impressive, it would be scary.

• And we are getting closer to that by the day. There's a video online that came out recently of a robot talking to a human while cleaning out some dishes and doing other tasks. And the way it “intuits” what to do tingles something deep in my mind. A sort of resemblance being reflected back, I suggest you watch it.

• With that sidetrack out of the way, let's get back to this “washing” process. I believe that having it is even better than being able to constantly work. Why? Because without it we could not reset or restart out trains of thought. Insight and intuition would likely not exist.

• Often in technology when there is a problem in the system, one of the first solutions is to restart it. In that way it can wash away the day much like we do and begin anew, problems often solved. Have you not ever had a pressing problem, not being able to solve it no matter how much you squeeze your head, only for it to nearly solve itself after a good night's rest?

• That's the value of breaks. Sometimes sleep is not enough time, especially for the grander parts of our lives. So, next time you need a break, add another 5 minutes on top, and have gratitude of the amazing systems working in your skull. They hold tremendous power.

That's it for today's insight. A couple notes; when taking a break try to abstain from all stimulants. Often we take a “break” by going straight to our phones. That is not a true break. Secondly, I am sorry for the long cut in insights. This project is one I want to have with me for a very long time, if not for my whole life. I hope you like it and I would love to have you see with me where it may lead.