Planning to ‘do nothing’ is the best thing you can do for yourself

It is that easy.

To ‘do nothing’ for a few minutes each day can make your calmer and more relaxed, give you more energy, and make you more creative and productive.

You know what it's like. We are reachable 24/7 for messages from our boss, social media, sales and world events.

Everything wants to be taken care of - job, family, social connections and friends, household. Our to-do list get longer on its own and we wish we had a third arm, a second head or a 30-hour day.

To actually take time out for oneself seems outrageous and unheard of. What we could do in that time!

But.

Body and soul need to recover. Taking a break actually increases productivity more than endless hours of overtime. And constant stress is a health liability.

Taking a breath and replenishing.

And all you need ‘to do’ is – ‘nothing’.

You won’t need a yoga mat or anything else. A comfortable place to sit – inside. Or better yet, outdoors. And get ready to ‘do nothing’.

Let’s get some basics down though before we embark on this journey of ‘doing nothing’. ‘Doing nothing’ is not the same as kicking back and binge watching your favourite TV series. Sure, it’ll make you happy and relaxed for a short while, but your brain won’t get the chance to recover.

Even reading a book is not really ‘doing nothing’. Your thoughts are bound by the story.

That is essential ingredient of ‘doing nothing’ – letting your thoughts roam free and unfettered.

Just sitting and ‘doing nothing’. No tech gadgets, no media to hijack your mind. No paying attention to traffic, the washing or combing your hair. Giving your thoughts the opportunity wander free.

This is actually harder to do than you think. We live in a society that values productivity, efficiency and optimisation. To just sit and ‘do nothing’ may not be socially acceptable behaviour.

So, do we actually know how to ‘do nothing’?

Start by just looking outside the window for a few moments. Not focusing on anything in particular. The first minutes can seem like an eternity. Without your smart phone and with the challenge that your thoughts will want to go to all the things on your to-do list. But realistically, nothing bad will happen if those things wait another 10 minutes.

If you have trouble letting go of your thoughts, maybe pick something to focus on – like leaves in the breeze or bird flying by. Chances are your thought will start and want to follow suit. Or listen attentively to some music. And leave all distractions and phones outside of view and reach. Day dream away for a few minutes …

‘Doing nothing’ is different to meditating, where you actively focus on your breath or mantras or even try to not think of anything.

The intention of ‘doing nothing’ is to let your thoughts and soul go where they want to go, without a goal or a purpose. Letting your subconscious surface for some fresh air. Dreaming and wandering away is absolutely wanted and desired.

Don’t let yourself be fooled by the impression that this time is ‘wasted’. A short break of ‘doing nothing’ can actually super charge your productivity and creativity.

Done regularly, ‘doing nothing’ can lead to stress reduction, and feeling more grounded and balanced. It can also help concentration and improve sleep.

And the good thing is, you can practice ‘doing nothing’. It’s best done daily. 10 minutes is a good start. Or maybe one minute per hour at work. Set yourself a time and timer. And maybe you’ll find the opportunity to cancel or postpone less important meetings for some time to ‘do nothing’.

‘Doing ‘nothing’ also includes learning to say ‘no’ to time and energy thieves and ‘yes’ to a moment for yourself for simply ‘doing nothing’.

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