Zero-Task for creativity

"Taking regular periods of time to breathe, relax, and be in gratitude can … open oneself to connection with natural creativity … " Dr. Helen Lee

Tomorrow, we celebrate Zero-Tasking Day—a day when we take the extra 60 minutes we gained from turning back our clocks to do—nothing. Just take a breath, relax and rejuvenate. 

I created this day because I know firsthand how being overwhelmed, overworked and overstressed can sap us mentally, emotionally and physically, even when we are “doing what we love.” And that draining has a negative impact on our creativity, which leads to more stress, which leads to… well, you get the picture.

To give us insights into the effect of stress and ways to combat it, The Writer’s Place interviewed Dr. Helen Lee, a holistic doctor and founder and creator of Touch of Life Chiropractic in Hoffman Estates, IL. Her perspective on health and healing includes the vital importance of balancing the mind, body and energy, which allows full access to and expression of one’s Spirit. In her work, Dr. Lee strives to bring each person back to the basics of how to care for oneself-mentally, emotionally and physically. 

WP: People sometimes mistakenly believe that, because you love what you do, you shouldn’t feel stressed when doing it. But can stress come even when you are passionate about the activity?

Of course. Stress is just a perspective. Two people can have the same experience and have totally opposite perspectives and feelings about that situation. One can be very passionate about creating something in his or her life but may also be in a mode of “pushing through” or required take many steps to create the end result. 

For example, I absolutely love working with people in my practice. [Yet] sometimes I can still find myself stressed about day to day things that go along with what I do, such as extra paperwork, having to support and encourage someone when he or she may be going through a very challenging issue, or just [having] too much to do at once. 

WP: What can overload and over-stress do to one’s creative abilities?

It can decrease the “flow.” Stress can decrease the optimal physical, mental and energetic connections of the body to life force. On a physical level, stress can decrease blood flow to the brain, increase heart rate, create blocks of stagnation in the body, muscle tightness, etc. On a energetic level, it can disconnect us from our creative Spirit or intuition.

WP: What are some indicators that you are heading into “overload zone”?

Some common indicators of overload may be physical discomfort in muscles, headaches, digestive irritation, repetitive negative thoughts, persistent feelings of anxiety or worry, and decreased ability or inability to complete tasks.

WP: Especially since the recession, people are so worried about the economy that they are doing everything they can to create some measure of financial stability: working longer hours or working two jobs, for example. The general thought seems to be that “being busy is always better” and the idea of taking one hour a month (ideally one hour a week) to do nothing sounds crazy! But can taking time to do nothing actually help us become more creative in the long run?

Taking time for oneself and doing “nothing” can definitely help in the long run in multiple ways. Our nervous, energetic and physical systems learn through repetition. The more we are in anxious, lack [and] fear mode, the more those patterns will likely become “automatically wired” in our circuitry. Therefore, people can worry so much to a point where even when there is nothing to worry about, they find themselves worried about nothing. 

Taking regular periods of time to breathe, relax, and be in gratitude can not only give your body and opportunity to relax, recoup and heal but can also open oneself to connection with natural creativity and enjoyment of the moment.

WP: What are some effective (and fun) ways to de-stress and get your creative juices flowing again?

Do something you love. Go for a walk in nature, pick up a sport or activity that you love, practice breathing deeply, or play with children [since] they innately know how to have fun and relax.

Q: I created the Zero-Tasking Day quiz to help people gauge their need for downtime. Do you zero-task?

Absolutely. Meditating regularly keeps me connected to my center and peaceful. It’s taken some practice but now I find myself naturally taking “zero-task” opportunities whenever I can.

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Thanks so much to Dr. Lee for sharing her insights on the topic of stress and creativity. While tomorrow is the official “Zero-Tasking Day,” commit to taking some “Z-T” moments each day to bring calmness and peace into your life!