This post originally appeared here on Medium.
Indulging In The Joy Of Doing Nothing
My typical day is pretty much packed. Even before I get out of bed, I already have a list of what I need to accomplish for the day. You can imagine the kind of days where you’re always doing and there’s always more to do.
Sometimes there’s this internal dialogue in my mind that goes something like this.
My mind: “Why do you have this need that you must always do something?”
Me: “Because that’s what it is. A need. There are essential tasks ahead.”
And then I’d come up with a long list of what happens if I don’t. Exhausting, to say the least.
If you’re anything like me, I feel you. We become so obsessed with the idea that we must constantly do something. We pack every minute and every hour of our time with never-ending lists of chores and work deadlines that are falsely translated into productivity and self-worth. And worst, when we’re not doing something as we should, we feel guilty and anxious. And so without thinking we push ourselves.
I have no problem sitting still for five minutes doing absolutely nothing, but the trouble is I’d rather not subject myself to that kind of torture. Doing nothing can be overwhelming.
One day I was talking to myself, (yeah, I do this kind of thing often) and my mind said, “You never have enough time to do nothing, to just sit.” My reply was, “No, that’s not true. I meditate every day. I take the time to make sure that I cultivate this habit for mind-body-soul balance.” My mind argued, “No, that doesn’t count. Your meditation session is a chore. It’s something you tick off at the end of the day. You’re doing something, as opposed to doing nothing — you’re meditating.”
I pondered. That’s exactly what it is. Although meditation has helped me tremendously, it’s not to be my go-to activity for doing nothing. Doing nothing involves — doing nothing. Just chilling, without simultaneously reading, or writing. And no sleep, of course.
What does that look like for me? Sure I’ve had those moments — long quiet walks in nature, people watching while I’m out on solo coffee dates, enjoying the sunset, essential-oil-infused baths in the afternoon, watching the waves kiss the shore at sea.
Those are the moments when I’m not worrying about my writing assignments, not scrolling on social media, and not skipping tracks for about a thousand times on my Spotify playlist. In other words, I’m doing nothing. Just being. There’s tremendous power in that, by letting go of the ‘shoulds’ and doing nothing for a while.
I truly believe that letting ourselves be still is a skill we need to master. This means for us to be successful at it, it has to be deliberate, just like learning to quiet the mind during meditation without pressuring ourselves to do anything.
— Esther George, Purposefullifenow.com
I was reading an article the other day where it talked about the Italians who embrace the concept of la dolce far niente. It’s the essence of doing nothing, to be idle and enjoying it. Absolutely no pressure, just being in the ‘nothing’ moment. You’re probably thinking, doesn’t that promote laziness? No, far from it. It’s the ability to savor an experience, relishing the feeling of wholeness, and allowing time to slow down for half a second. It is indulging in the sweetness of doing nothing, the pleasure of simply being.
Many societies today frown at the idea of finding pleasure in moments of idleness. It sounds so strange that when we discuss it; we have to find ways to redefine the meaning.
As writers, it’s easy to become so immersed in our creative flow that we allow the joy of our experience to disconnect us from our innate human nature of just being. This is especially true for creators where the line between work and play is often nonexistent.
Sure, we all pretty much know what it means to do nothing — just lie around and waste time, how difficult is that. But for many of us, when we get right down to it, our minds often continue doing other things. When I close my eyes, my mind will be planning topics or rearranging points for my next article. It’s hard to relax and enjoy the nothingness. I hardly know how to stop.
Original Photo by Olya Kobruseva on Pexels
I truly believe that letting ourselves be still is a skill we need to master. This means for us to be successful at it, it has to be deliberate, just like learning to quiet the mind during meditation without pressuring ourselves to do anything.
As creators, being idle and doing nothing can help us recharge so that we can return to our best and most creative selves because over-indulgence in the creative process can lead to creative burnout.
I try not to stress out if I don’t produce much work today, or even tomorrow. I realize the earth does not go off its axis if I decide to take a chill pill. My self-worth does not depend on how much I do or don’t do. Sometimes it’s okay to just exist. Instead, I think about how much this moment of pause is benefitting me. I disconnect from the world around me so I can mindfully reconnect with myself.
I allow this downtime to nourish my mind, body, and soul without guilt or expectations. This is self-love, and this is self-care.
My mind is asking me now, “Do you really think you have time to do nothing?”
This time around, my answer is a resounding yes. I can’t afford not to. If nothing else, I’m thankful that it’ll help me regain focus and recharge my creative battery, so that I can return with a fresh perspective. That deal sounds good enough for me.
When all the noise disappears, what surfaces is life in its simplicity. At the thought of that, I can’t help but smile.
