In high school, it feels like if homework is not being done than practicing for a sport is. If students aren’t practicing, then students study. If students stop for a moment, it feels like they are missing out on something or not working hard to reach the expected potential. People are so obsessed with the next thing that they are completely overlooking what is right in front of them.
The biggest enemy of just doing is the infinite scroll of doom. Whenever there is a boring moment like waiting for the bus or standing in line, students immediately whip out their phones. They are scrolling to just avoid being there.
Just leaving the phone in the pocket for five minutes makes a difference. This difference makes people start noticing things they never did before or what their friends are actually talking about. The scroll of doom is so normalized and it is hard for students to imagine their lives without a device.
Many people feel guilty for taking a nap or watching television because they feel they should be productive. The brain is not a laptop, and if 50 tabs are open, it is going to crash.
Starting to be means realizing that sitting down on the porch or spending time staring at the ceiling isn’t wasted time, but things that recharge people through moments of stillness and calm.
Students multitask everyday whether it’s doing math while listening to Spotify or texting back that one group chat. To start being, try single tasking. It sounds simple, but it actually makes being in the moment much more enjoyable and less of a blur looking back on it.
Students hate being bored, but honestly some of the best ideas happen when people aren’t doing anything. When people do not fill every second with an activity they can actually get to know themselves better. Students are more than just their GPA or who they hangout with.