Stuart Meade, Acting Head of School

‘Why we should try doing…absolutely nothing’

What a wonderful attention-seeking headline. I came across this article in the New York Times recently which suggests that “busyness has become an unhealthy status symbol, leading to burnout, anxiety and other stress-driven ailments”. The author Olga Mecking asks “What can we do? Follow what the Dutch call ‘niksen’. Essentially, niksen is the art of doing nothing: not meditating, not eating healthily, not being mindful but simply being idle. The upside of conscious boredom? Here’s the kicker…it can lead to daydreaming, which in turn drives creativity and increases focus”.

According to research from the University of Chicago and Ohio State University “Creative genius is not only for whippersnappers. There are two kinds of peak creativity, and they reach full bloom at different times in a person’s life. There are the conceptual innovators among us, typically younger (under 30 years of age) people who set their sights on challenging conventions with fresh ideas. And then there are experimental innovators who use their deep experience to test out new ideas and form unexpected connections over time. These types reach the apex of their creativity in their 50s”

So, what do we make of all this…well, next time you see your child staring out the window, go easy on them, they may well be in a creative moment. And for those  “experimental innovators” among us, there is a place for us too as we reach the pinnacle of our creative powers – bring it on.

Bring on the break

As we move to the final days of the term, a well-deserved break awaits. One of my favourite moments of the past nine weeks was the Fundamental Music Concert on Monday evening at the Sydney Town Hall. As I said on the night, I have seen a few music concerts in my time but never have I experienced a performance of such sustained excellence as we witnessed on Monday. Simply awesome!

My best wishes to the students on the rugby tour to Fiji, the Oxford Study tour to the UK, the tennis trip to the USA and to the sailors who are competing at the national championships. My sincere congratulations to all students who have accepted a challenge, performed with distinction in some area of endeavour, tried something new or were involved in something bigger than themselves this term.

With good wishes

Stuart Meade
Acting Head of School