Nothing Helps. No, Really!

I'm going to tell you how and why *nothing* can really be helpful. But I included this unusual pose of a half-clad hunk to grab your attention. Did it work? =^_^= Good. Read on.

Have you ever been in this situation? You're sitting in front of your computer, thinking about work you have to do, whether it's a novel, a report, a spreadsheet, database, or just entering data. You're accomplishing *nothing.* Your mind is fuzzy, maybe past the point where caffeine even helps. What can you do to get back in the "groove?"

One thing that works for me is to go sit in my kitchen with a glass of water (tea, coffee, cola, something wet), and stare out the back window. I have a plain back yard. It's fairly flat, has a few trees, some grass, and some naturalized areas with pine straw. A squirrel or two. A few birds pecking at worms. The neighbor's cat stalking the bird and always managing to miss it. There's a plain wood fence at the back, and chain link on the two sides. *Nothing* to look at really.

The neighboring houses aren't easily visible because of trees and hedges, and their physical placement. It's not that I'm really looking at something. I'm looking at *nothing.*  I'm letting my mind wander. Not focused on anything. Relaxing. Sipping my drink. Letting my shoulders loosen and my hands rest on the table.

Maybe it's summer and you can stretch out on a chaise lounge or a hammock, fold your hands behind your head and stare up at *nothing* in the sky. It's winter, and there's a fire going, and you stare at *nothing* in particular, just the movement of the flames. It's spring, and bees and butterflies are flitting all over the place, *nothing* discernable in their patterns. Or it's autumn, and the trees are changing color, providing a riot of colors for the eyes. When did they start to change? When did they go from *nothing* but green to *nothing* but brilliant tones?

I invariably get restless with staring at *nothing* and want to get back to work. I try to wait a little before I give in. When I do, it's like entering a new room. *Nothing* changed except me. But that change triggers the next deluge of work.

Sometimes, *nothing* is exactly what we need. When was the last time you used *nothing* to bounce back?