Doing Something Is More Productive than Doing Nothing

688 Words2 Pages

Anna Quindlen writes about how to foster creativity in children, and by extension adults by doing nothing and allowing their minds to foster creativity during this time, free time. She expresses her thoughts in “Doing nothing is something” a short essay. Quindlen proposes that kids are too busy and do not have enough free time. In this down time or free time they make their own adventures and form their own ideas. She presents the idea that to even start the creative process to create literature, music, and art one must have free time to let the mind wonder and create. On a moment’s reflection, the thesis that Quindlen presents looks sound but she does not allow for a person can think creatively without down time.
This cannot whole truth. There is no doubt that free time can help the creative process it is not the only way to foster this. Hundreds of modern authors and artisans that have extremely structured lives and are considered to be some of the greatest composers and writes of all time. C.S. Lewis is an example of a great writer and philosopher whose days were extremely structured down to the times he was able to eat, sleep, read, write, and when he was able to walk through the country side. “I believe that many who find that "nothing happens" when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand.” Lewis said in “On the Incarnation” this quote is mentioned from Lewis from his book “On the Incarnation” to enforce the point that free time is important, but structured free time is just and effective and efficient. Doing this allows one to be more productive than ...

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...ring creativity, but she is wrong in the fact that it is essential and that you must have lost of it. Lewis did treasure his free time but it was structured and limited, so he remained productive. Mozart along with Yo-Yo- Ma also did not have the luxury of much free time though they both are musical geniuses who without their talent the world of musical expression would be forever altered. Free time is to be valued but it is a part of life to be balanced, creativity, part time for free thoughts, experience, and knowledge.

Works Cited

Lweis, C. S. ? C.S. Lewis, On the Incarnation. www.goodreads.com. N.p., 2013.Web. 9 Oct. 2013.
Quindlen, Anna. Doing Nothing Is Something. From Inquiry To Academic Writing. Ed. Stephen A. Scipione. Second Edition ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2012. 82-84. Print. Vol. 1 of From Inquiry To Academic Writing. 1 vols.

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