Cloaked deeply within the time-hallowed vestiges of labor, bathed in the daily rigors of life, there is little preparation which yields greater benefit than adequate rest. As the astute reader may have already guessed, this topic is near and dear to my current state of bleary eyed existence. The culprit that instigated my sad situation was a tasty 24oz J&R steakhouse double cut that I just "had to finish". If only I was marginally as dedicated towards more noble pursuits, like transitioning a side project into a primary mission, saving rain forests, combating global warming, or feeding the hungry (hmm). With little regret, my role as gluttonous dreamer is self selected as I'm born again* each morning.
The Antithesis of Serendipity
During sleep the level of external distractions is reduced to a peaceful empty set. Not only does the body go into a mode of rejuvenation, but the mind enters a trancelike subconscious processing state. It is within the confines of blissful slumber that we perform deep analysis on the myriad of life's signals in order to make important decisions which are vital to our well being and happiness.
It surprises me that there aren't more startups and products which try and mimic the contemplative benefits of rest^. In a rush to claim eager venture capital, limited attention of news hungry tech journalists, and ultimately paying clients, most entrepreneurs chase after waining attention with deeper social integration, greater engagement, and interruption dressed up as viral sharing. What if the most profound gift a company can offer a client is a break? Perhaps the next startup trend is a form of enhanced silence, carved out of a day deprived of solitary contemplation.
Notes:
*= To be clear, when I mention born again it is no way referring to a religious experience. Philosophical yes, spiritual maybe, religious hell no :).
^= Charlie Crystle developed an app called Focus which monitored and cut off specific communication channels. His instincts are definitely on to something, but the interface demands the browser constantly be in control. Maybe a monitoring app that yields minutes visiting various information or social sites. Do browser histories already store this information?
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