Does “doing nothing” make you feel guilty or bad?
The majority of us are continuously striving to improve our productivity. Our schedules are packed and our to-do lists are never-ending. We hear phrases like “time is money” all the time, and wasting time appears to be the greatest sin of all.
Sounds contradictory with whatever I said during the past weeks? I wholeheartedly agree that we need to have life goals, dreams, aspirations, and careers in our lives. In order to pursue your goals, you need to preserve, varnish, and recharge your healthset, mindset, and soulset.
De-stressing with “nothing”
If you’ve browsed sites or social media, you’ve probably noticed that we’re always on the go, always doing something, and figuring out how to make the most of life. You see people graduating, taking up careers, getting married, even trying out expensive restaurants, and you just feel left out.
If so, trust me: you are the most peaceful person on Earth. People trying restaurants, holding meetings, and attending conferences are burning with mental pressure. If you can easily breathe and walk like no one is watching and a plan does not control you, why can’t you see it as a privilege? Even if you are currently employed or filled with academic and social activities, you need to give yourself some personal space to boost your energy.
And even when we’re not actively working on projects, homework, or studies, we are mentally occupied by thinking and stressing about our work. Thus, once in a while, we must “do nothing”.
“Doing nothing” the right way
“Doing nothing” should be taken more literally than browsing through your Instagram feed, checking your email casually, or even hanging out with your buddies—it should help you relax, calm down, and clear your mind.
It might be gazing out the window or into darkness, resting on a park bench and soaking in the scenery, wandering aimlessly, or having a short nap. It might be anything that permits your mind to be blank for a short period of time.
Although it may appear to be a waste of time or a source of guilt to sit about and “do nothing” while being inundated with work, or even to be viewed as lazy for doing so, there are various advantages.
The benefits of “doing nothing”
Why is doing nothing good for you?
1. New concepts are generated.
Productivity and inventiveness are two of the most crucial reasons. Taking only a few minutes out of your day to “do nothing” will really help you be more productive at work and increase your creativity.
2. It de-stresses and re-energizes you
After all, our minds are computers that require rest and recharge. Companies like Google provide workplace incentives like a calming meditation course, which may seem illogical given the fast-paced work atmosphere, but which really help employees prevent burnout.
“Doing nothing” also gives you the opportunity to get perspective and insight on the issues you’re dealing with. The things that are most essential to you appear, while the ones that are less important fade away.
You get the chance to review your difficulties and become better equipped to cope with them as a result. Taking the effort to obtain clarity is definitely worth your time, especially since we live in a time when we are continuously assaulted with information.
3. Directs you on how to be mindful.
One of the underappreciated advantages of “doing nothing” is that it promotes emotional well-being. It’s common knowledge that college students are frequently stressed.
It’s extremely crucial to relax and take your mind off all you have to accomplish during stressful times. It will not only help you get more done in the end, but it will also help you maintain a healthy level of tension and worry.
Looking forward to “nothing”
In my personal experience, removing myself from my work and academic activities have been extremely difficult at times, but it has been rewarding. The drive and inspiration I get from sitting for a few minutes by my study table and looking at the novels on my bookshelf while”doing nothing”, is unrivalled. I also have a habit of gazing at the sky, irrespective of day or night, and it has the superpower of healing me.
Give yourself at least one day of nothing to look forward to when you achieve a goal or finish a particularly arduous activity that took a lot out of you. This will both reward your hard work (and encourage you to work harder in the future), as well as restore your energy.
If you’ve been working hard all week, you’ll need to look forward to some “nothing time”. Include a considerable stretch of “nothingness” while planning your week’s schedule.
Do nothing; do something
This can be an afternoon spent relaxing in the park or a morning spent sleeping in, depending on what you find most interesting. Even if you didn’t meet all of your objectives for the week, be proud of what you did achieve, and tell yourself that it is the reward for all your hard work.
As humans living in the 21st century, we have overloaded our academic, work, and social calendars to the point that we are unable to relax our brains and bodies; and any spare time is spent fretting about chores or mindlessly surfing social media. So why not make the most of your free time and “do nothing” the right way?
Making such a lifestyle shift may appear frightening at first, but it does not have to be an extreme one. Five to ten minutes every day, or anytime you’re feeling particularly burdened, is an ideal amount of time to “do nothing” and reap the numerous advantages it brings.
What’s your favourite way of “doing nothing”? Share it with me at: [email protected]
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