Activities that promote mind-wandering, such as reading literature, going for a walk, exercising, or listening to music, are hugely restorative.
Interpretation
Engaging in activities like reading and walking allows the mind to relax and rejuvenate.
This quote by Daniel Levitin emphasizes the importance of activities that encourage mind-wandering. Such activities, including reading literature, walking, exercising, and listening to music, not only provide a break from routine but also facilitate mental recovery and promote overall well-being by allowing individuals to reflect and recharge.
In practice
During a wellness workshop, the facilitator quoted Levitin to encourage participants to embrace leisure activities.
As soon as you hear a proposition, the creative brain in humans assumes for the moment that it's true, and starts trying to find evidence. It's what computer scientists in the old days used to call 'Fifo:' first in, first out. The first piece of information that gets in has a privileged position, even if it's misinformation.
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That walk around the block, that fresh air, is going to help you work more quickly and effectively when you get back.
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I felt emotions of gentleness and pleasure, that had long appeared dead, revive within me. Half surprised by the novelty of these sensations, I allowed myself to be borne away by them, and forgetting my solitude and deformity, dared to be happy.
There is a difference between standard of living and quality of life. Quality of life is more important.
Music has given me peace. I can remember occasions when music instantly tranquillized my _x000D_ mind, when I was greatly agitated over something. Music has helped me to overcome anger.
Happiness is threatening and misery is safe - safe for the ego. Ego can exist only in misery and through misery. Ego is an island surrounded by hell; happiness is threatening to the ego, to the very existence of the ego. Happiness rises like a sun and the ego disappears, evaporates like a dewdrop on the grass leaf.
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Happiness does not consist in amusement. In fact, it would be strange if our end were amusement, and if we were to labor and suffer hardships all our life long merely to amuse ourselves.... The happy life is regarded as a life in conformity with virtue. It is a life which involves effort and is not spent in amusement.
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