Writing
Why Taking a Break May Actually Power You Forward
There’s power in inaction
Between May of last year and May of this year, I got a lot of creative projects done. Somehow, even during the height of the pandemic, my inner overscheduled A-student took over and knocked out deadline after deadline: I wrote two musicals, I submitted an application to a musical theater training program, I completed two online courses — I even wrote in a daily gratitude journal.
And then on May 15, it all stopped. That’s the day I got my Covid-19 vaccine. It’s like I could finally take a breath; there was an end in sight. (Also around that time, several of my projects wound down to their conclusion.)
Almost, immediately, the guilt kicked in. I’m a creator. Shouldn’t I be creating, like all of the time? But I just couldn’t make myself go, go, go anymore.
Without consciously deciding to, I took a big old juicy break.
According to Jinny Uppal, breaks are actually vital to the creative process. In her new book, The Power of Inaction, she explores doing less and daydreaming more as a choice to getting better results. I had a chance to discuss this with her recently and explore the power of inaction.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Creators Hub: After almost two years of lockdowns; restricted movements and travel; no in-person live events, museums, or theater; no socializing outside of a pod (if you were lucky enough to have one); and many, many nights being a homebody — all necessitated by the global Covid-19 pandemic — why a book about doing less? And why now?
Jinny Uppal: I was struggling with my own phase of inactivity during the pandemic. I had more time than I knew what to do with. It occurred to me that I’ve had underproductive slumps in the past. I always hated being in those phases when I wasn’t doing enough by my standards. And yet, looking back, the actions I took after those slumps, which lasted weeks or even years, almost always led to big, bold leaps forward, many of which changed the direction of my life for the better.
All this made me wonder: What really drives major progress? Is it the tangible actions we take or the moments of inaction where seeds of inspired action are being sown? This book is a result of that investigation.
Ooh, that is interesting. I’m in a similar moment now. Last summer, after we all realized the pandemic wasn’t going away anytime soon and this was our new reality for a while, I sprang into action, my regular action — getting stuff done in a creative overdrive.
And then after my vaccine this May, I felt a massive internal sigh. A creative pause. I needed — I wanted a break. Then I felt guilty about needing a break. As creators shouldn’t we, should I, be creating all the time?
Good question. We usually associate creation with a tangible output like a written chapter, a finished work. So in order to chase the result, we start chasing action. We start doing all sorts of things that we think will lead us to that beautiful piece of creation.
What we don’t realize is that creation happens in the empty space of imagination, of thought. And when we are constantly doing, we are cluttering the thinking process.
Oh yes, the “empty space of imagination.” Lovely phrasing. As adults (all work, work, work), we often overlook that child-like sense of wonder, pause, and imagination to dream.
Also, it is so interesting that you talk about guilt. I interviewed over 30 people across the world who are considered successful in their fields. Many of them have managed to overcome their tendency to act in favor of thoughtful inaction. But many of them still feel guilty when they choose to take a break. As if they need to show to themselves and the world that they are hard at work.
(Raises hand.) Guilty.
There is a stigma associated with doing nothing. It is not easy to get past that stigma. The people I interviewed have managed to get past the voice in their head that tells them “You are not doing enough” or “You should be doing this or that.” But the voice guilting you never goes away.
So you are not alone in the guilt. It is still your choice to make though. In this moment, will doing something serve you better or will not doing anything?
I love the focus on choice. It sounds like you’re saying that a break, inaction, might be the engine that drives further action. Is that right?
Yes! The difference between inaction that comes from fear and paralysis and what I am talking about is making a choice. The same fear that drives inaction in some cases also drives overaction; doing without thinking. Research conducted by American neurologist Marcus Raichle in 1998 found that when we are not doing anything, our brain is connecting the dots between ideas and possibilities in such creative ways that no amount of concentrated effort could lead to. Since then, there have been a lot more studies conclusively tying inactivity to creative breakthroughs.
I love that. Your brain working even when you’re not working. It sounds like you are asking us to double down on that concept. Like when you wrote this: “While chasing action can very well lead to results, it takes mastering action to achieve remarkable results faster.” And the fastest way to master action is by “leveraging strategic inaction.” Let’s break this down further. What do you mean by “mastering action?”
We all know what chasing action looks like. It’s the hamster wheel, it’s the grind. And it does get results. But it can also lead to fatigue and burnout as side effects. And mistakes. How many times were you in a rush to do something only to realize that was the wrong move?
The book isn’t about inaction for the sake of inaction or about slowing down as the end game. Mastering action is about knowing when to act and choosing the right action. That’s the mastery of it.
For example, many people are looking for jobs right now. The common advice I have been given for my own job search is it’s a numbers game. You can play the numbers game, which can get tiring, or you can be more thoughtful about quality over quantity in your outreach. I bring up thoughtful inaction to counter our tendency to run with action without thinking. Stopping long enough to be clear on what kind of job/role/company culture you want can lead to a more meaningful and targeted search than randomly sending out resumes to dozens of companies.
That is a very active choice, to not just react but pause, collect, reflect, and then act.
You said it well, it’s an active choice.
Many people don’t think of inaction as a choice. (Maybe they will now!) There is a stigma attached to the word “inaction”; we always associate it with fear and paralysis. I am talking about inaction as a choice. Then whatever follows, whether it is action or more inaction, is more creative and effective in getting the results than barreling through the problem firing off on all cylinders.
Very cool. Okay, so what do you mean by “leveraging strategic inaction?”
Think of a lever. If you apply a little amount of force at one end of the lever, you can lift a heavier load at the end instead of trying to lift that load all by yourself. The lever multiplies the effect of the energy you are spending. Action consumes energy, mental and physical. When approaching a problem or opportunity, you can probably get the same results through brute force and action, but inaction can just get you better results without you spending your own energy. For example, when I was stuck writing parts of the book, I realized I could either double down — spend hours researching the concept — or I could walk away from it and let an idea come to me. Of course, some action is required; I have to write the piece. But it doesn’t have to be a lot of hard work.
Yes! That is also such a valuable realization: Working hard doesn’t necessarily get you the best results. And hard work isn’t necessarily the best work.
Right! We glorify hard work, which equates to long hours. I am talking about thoughtfully inserting more inaction into your life. It’s an active choice. What you get out of that is more creative ideas.
So, how can we cultivate this practice of mastering action and actively choose inaction?
While meditation would have been my standard response — it’s a great idea and it works — I’ll share an unusual technique I started using during my book-writing process. Mind-wandering is usually considered a negative mental behavior; people think of it as signs of a distracted mind. But research studies have shown that deliberate mind-wandering can lead to creative breakthroughs. For several months now, I have been choosing to let my mind wander when faced with abstract or new ideas that I struggle with. I’ll do this by taking a break to sit down and stare out my window, letting thoughts commingle. In fact, the more I struggle, the more I take breaks to let my mind wander.
To cultivate this mind-wandering or inaction practice, don’t actively try to solve the problem or the work at hand. Allow your mind to wander, daydream, go for a walk. If an idea related to the problem comes up, let it swirl. Don’t be in a hurry to write it down. A good idea will stay with you. And when you come back to the problem, then think through ideas that came up when you were mind-wandering. Take action if any of them seem inspiring enough. If not, trust that your mind got enough of a break to diffuse the tension that builds up when we focus and concentrate on a problem for too long.
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Jinny Uppal is a technology and business leader with over 20 years’ experience driving transformative growth at Fortune 500 North American companies. Her book, The Power of Inaction, will be published in December (New Degree Press, 2021). You can join her book journey by signing up for her free newsletter or find her on LinkedIn or Instagram.
