By Michael Glenn
Teen-Age Dirtbag
One of the most bona fide benefits college life has taught me is time management and learning how to protect it.
I’ve gotten a crash course in how to manage my time and productivity four or so weeks into my second semester in Lawrence, and one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is the art of doing nothing.
If you’re doing nothing, it sounds like you’re being unproductive. In our country’s work culture, idling is seen as a mortal vice. If you’re not sending emails, talking in meetings or doing something that makes others think you’re a hard worker, you’re doing something wrong.
Unfortunately, this mindset can lead to burnout and a loss of passion for the work you typically enjoy doing.
To be honest, I’ve had a workaholic mindset since Gina and I started The Tribune in 2023. Nearly every minute of downtime, whether it was while I was in class or relaxing on my couch late into the night, was spent thinking about how I could get more work done.
Of course, our unique work situation required both of us to be available constantly, and it’s the nature of news to be active around the clock. I’m not upset about the time I spent working, nor do I regret it.
But still, I’ve found even while working in the media that protecting my time outside of work is essential to my mental health and well-being, and I hope to convince you to start protecting your own time or continue to protect it.
I think this all first started for me when I started tracking my screen time, at least on my phone. I use this app that tracks my screen time and categorizes the apps on my phone as distracting or productive. Some of my most common “distracting” apps before I started working to minimize them were TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube.
I realized that I was spending around two hours each day swiping on short-form videos I’d forget 10 seconds after I’d watched them. My attention span was getting fried like a tortilla in bubbling oil.
The app also blocks distracting apps during the work day, and I’ve found that extremely helpful. In the couple of months I have used the app Opal, I’ve cut my screen time down from five to six hours a day to rarely more than two and a half hours. Additionally, the app also limits distracting apps (social media) to no more than an hour a day, meaning most of my digital time is meaningfully spent.
With this newly-found time, I found myself not glued to my phone, doing nothing particularly productive. Not doomscrolling or watching TV, simply doing nothing.
And I’ve never felt more productive.
Doing nothing is productive in the sense that you give your brain a break to think, relax and recharge. Imagine your brain as an old-school incandescent lightbulb, with your mind as the wire that heats to illumination. Doing nothing lets that wire cool, allowing you to regroup and reset the mind.
But eventually, doing nothing can lead to boredom. Being bored isn’t the worst thing in the world, either, but cutting out distractions led me to pursue hobbies I haven’t touched in years. I’ve picked up my guitar and put some meaningful hours into it for the first time since sixth grade, and I’ve been writing creatively for my own enjoyment, not worrying about deadlines or if I misspelled someone’s name.
I’ve also willingly read more books in the past two months than I have in the two years, and frequently go on walks and hikes (or as my generation calls it, touching grass.)
I’d encourage you, if you are able, to take 30 minutes on your day off to “do nothing.” Silence or (preferably) turn off your phone and go lay in the sun, take a light walk, or relax inside. Maybe make some tea beforehand and meditate, or do some yoga. Your brain will thank you.
If you never let your wire cool, it’ll eventually burn out. And then you won’t be able to turn yourself back on without replacing the inner pieces. If you turn yourself off every now and then, your bulb will last longer and burn brighter.
Regardless of if you’re a student, employee, employer or self-employed, protecting your personal time is important. Go out and touch some grass!
Michael Glenn is the founding publisher of The Hutchinson Tribune and a current student at the University of Kansas. He can be reached at mglenn@hutchtribune.com.