Welcome to minizine’s first edition, and thanks for checking us out. We really appreciate your visit.

Every edition lasts around two weeks, after which we remove all pieces and launch the next edition (we hope to increase the frequency of new editions soon). The first edition is fairly small; this was an intentional choice as bugs or visual peculiarities may still persist in the user experience. We build our pages with a prototype renderer developed in-house, and we hope to demonstrate its promising and expansive capabilities as more editions roll out.

How has your 2026 been so far? Recently I’ve found myself back into reading again. I’ve always been an on-and-off reader, mainly because many books I select tend to be too slow or uneventful, so I end up cycling between titles for weeks on end.

A book I enjoyed recently is called The Brain at Rest: How the Art and Science of Doing Nothing Can Improve Your Life by Dr. Joseph Jebelli. It discusses how to leverage the brain’s “default network,” the neural state we enter when hiking in silence, sleeping, and taking leisurely strolls, among other activities. What I find refreshing about this book is that, in the midst of endless self-improvement literature from celebrities, former journalists, and influencers, this title comes from an author with a scientific background on the subject. It’s not the most well written book, for sure—I don’t expect incredibly eloquent English from a neuroscientist. Jebelli cites plenty of research to corroborate his recommendations and personal experiences, and he clearly exercises mastery of the subject.

The whole purpose of the book is to make a case for activities that leverage the default network. This state is critical for creativity and learning, as it helps the brain form new neural pathways that lead to breakthroughs in thought. I’ve certainly experienced it; when I find myself stuck on projects or math problems, I’m often refreshed with new ideas after a walk outside or a night of sleep. Many, if not all default network activities, are cast as “unproductive” in the 21st century. Sleep, aimless strolls in nature, and staring into space are all considered inhibitors to work or signs of laziness, but Jebelli argues they’re critical defenses against burnout, loss of creativity, and mental health problems.

One tactic in the book that stuck with me was the recommendation to mind wander. It feels unintuitive, because daydreaming is frowned upon in work and academic settings, but it’s a critical way to activate the default network:

“When people are asked to perform a repetitive task [in studies], those who engage in more mind wandering almost always perform better; this in turn boosts gray matter density throughout the default network, which then increases creativity as well. Even when mind wandering hinders our performance in a task—when we have our heads in the clouds for just a little too long—it still ramps up creativity overall.”

I’m enjoying the book. If you’re somehow able to secure a copy, it might be worth giving it a try.

Until next time,
Akash (minizine contributor)