The Art of Doing Nothing
The Great Reset
The Dutch call it “Niksen”, the Italians “dolce far niente”, and it simply means to do nothing. Now this should not be confused with laziness but is something that has been embraced by many cultures throughout history, a reminder to slow down, destress and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
Americans are known to be hardworking, independent and self-reliant. We are a busy bunch. In fact, some might say that busyness has become the new status symbol. Academic research shows that our days are becoming increasingly jam-packed. The number of Americans reporting that they “never have enough time, is steadily increasing. Social scientists have coined the term “time-poverty” for this state of extreme business.
Then it’s no surprise that extreme busyness is affecting our physical and mental wellbeing. Negative health effects can be anxiety, depression, sleep problems, relationship problems, heart disease, and obesity, just to name a few. But there is also a loss of joy.
Enter “the art of doing nothing”. It might seem counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to counter the negative effects of time poverty is to take a little time each day – even just a few minutes to start – to do literally nothing but sit quietly, inside or outside, take a walk without a specific destination, and simply be, observe, watch and listen without judgment. I listened to an interview with a woman who wrote a book about doing nothing, and she talked about sitting in a chair and just observing the birds through her window, watching them come and go, nothing more. She described it as incredibly relaxing and therapeutic.
Now, embracing the practice of doing nothing can be uncomfortable at first. We are conditioned to be busy, to be productive, and sitting and doing nothing can make us feel productivity guilt, guilt about not meeting non-existing expectations. So here are some tactics for decreasing your discomfort when you take on the counter-intuitive task of doing nothing:
Remind yourself that you can stop what you’re doing (or not doing, as it were) and resume normal activity anytime you want—but wait a few minutes before you do to see if the discomfort passes.
Stay with your intention to do nothing but breathe slowly to calm yourself. Start with a slow and long exhalation (through the mouth) and then an inhalation (through the nose) as long as is comfortable. Continue this breathing pattern for at least one minute. Mindful breathing is an effective strategy that can be applied to all anxiety symptoms.
If your comfort level hasn’t improved, ground yourself in the here and now. Look around you at four objects that are familiar and pleasant. Listen for three familiar sounds—maybe the hum of a fan or refrigerator, birds chirping, dishwasher running, and so forth. Find two objects that are soothing to the touch and stroke them—like a blanket, a sweater, a pet, or a warm wet washcloth. Nurturing any of your senses lends a sense of calmness.
While this is a process similar to meditating, the goal is to appreciate every moment of the experience rather than just breathing away your thoughts. Taking the time to do nothing allows the brain to reset and restore. It boosts creativity and problem-solving, it allows you to connect with your true feelings and needs, reduces stress and allows the body to rest.
So, give yourself the joy of doing nothing in the knowledge that you are doing something very important for yourself! I think I’ll do it right now.
Sources: Harvard Business Review, psychologytoday.com, blog.erlanger.org