One might argue that we are never really doing nothing at any point in our lives. But if you think about it, there is such a thing as moving calmly and unhurried through life as compared to constantly multi-tasking and being busy. I know many of us feel uncomfortable at the thought of slowing down and doing nothing but I believe that it is necessary to have a more fulfilled and relaxed life. Try out these activities for doing nothing.
At first try, it can be hard to sit still to meditate or to perform breathing exercises. These activities are probably the ultimate ways of doing nothing. It really takes practice and determination if you want to do these things. You can start out with five minutes of meditation or breathing exercises each day then slowly increase the time as you see fit.
This word “bumbling” has a different meaning from the modern connotation. Bumbling, as 19th-century French poets knew it, means “wandering around without purpose.” Not everything in life needs to have a purpose or direction. Sometimes it’s nice to do things just because. Bumbling teaches you that sometimes not having a direction or purpose is alright. It also teaches you to slow down when you walk so you can enjoy the sights.
We become so engrossed with working and running our lives that we fail to take advantage of our weekends and days off. It’s time that we try to stop doing things on some weekends. Get your to-do list off your mind, sit around, and enjoy doing nothing.
Personally, I love doing nothing in nature. On a day when the weather is nice, nature is so serene and relaxing. It doesn’t expect anything from you and is perfectly fine with you just lying around, enjoying the wind and the view. When you have time, take a walk to a peaceful place in nature and stay there, enjoying doing nothing.
Stargazing, without the use of telescopes and other technology, is one of the idlest and most effortless activities you can do. Forget working or partying until the wee hours of the night. Instead, watch the stars on a clear night. You might feel time move slowly but try not to rush it.
Cloud watching is also a very straightforward way of doing nothing. I’m sure you will feel like you are wasting precious time, but try to push the guilt out of your mind. How many people in this modern world still get to experience the relaxation and enjoyment of doing nothing under the clouds?
When you take a nap, do so because you want to improve your health. Don’t do it for productivity or corporate reasons. The point of doing nothing by way of a nap is to relax and to have some unhurried me-time.
Too often do we wolf down our food because we are too busy to slow down to eat. Set aside time for one meal where you just sit down to eat and savor your food. Eat slowly, chewing every bite you put in your mouth. Be deliberate with every movement and resist the urge to hurry.
In this day and age of constant communication, it is so hard to disconnect from the rest of the world. Because of this, we are constantly doing something with our mobile phones, computers, and with our mouths. It can get exhausting if we don’t take a break. Learn to disconnect from the world to give yourself some time to do nothing.
The art of doing nothing is not as easy as you may think. We are so used to moving all day long that stopping the cycle seems unnatural. All these activities force you to slow down and to be comfortable with doing nothing. Like any art, practice makes perfect so persevere and carry on. The art of doing nothing, when applied in your daily life, gives you a tool to cope with the constant rush and stress. What are other ways you know to slow down and do nothing?
Top Photo Credit: EmilyJane Photography