My friend looked at me and said, “how about we do nothing ?” Doing nothing is necessary. Let’s try! You’re not a machine
Seriously, you’re not! You are a person that works hard for a lot of things. If you ask me, I’ll always have something due or some responsibilities to attend to. That goes for most people. You need a break, time off to rejuvenate and get yourself together to work more efficiently. So take that time off to do nothing, to dance it out with your friends or to just binge on Netflix.
1. It’s good for your mental health Working constantly is not healthy for anyone. The amount of stress that you put on yourself when you don’t take breaks can lead to a multitude of physical and mental health problems. Stress is the number one risk factor for multiple serious health complications, including cardiovascular diseases. Spend some time doing nothing; ‘waste’ your time. It’s okay to not be productive sometimes. Slow down, take a deep breath and take it slow.
2. It’s time to reconnect with yourself You have the chance to introspect, reflect and reconnect with yourself when you take time away from productivity. Introspecting allows you to understand yourself better and become closer to yourself. Knowing yourself well makes you better equipped to remain content and emotionally stable through the roller coaster ride of life.
3. You need to be good at doing nothing When you are doing nothing, you’re not distracting yourself from your emotions with being busy. You’re truly alone with your own emotions. Sometimes, that’s necessary to make peace with yourself. Being able to accept and sort out your own feelings can often lead to healthier emotional well-being.
Then, how do you waste time? It’s as simple as choosing to do nothing. I went over to a friend’s place to study for a midterm right after an exam ended. When I got there, she looked at me and she said, “how about we do nothing tonight?” I said, “I think I like the sound of this. Let’s try!” And that’s how it began. We spent an entire night just talking or sitting to ourselves and thinking. We ate good food and we slept for over 12 hours. We smiled, we laughed. We played some good music and listened quietly while thinking about the semester. We made peace with ourselves. It wasn’t an adventurous evening, but it was a much-needed evening.
Doing nothing that night allowed me to work more efficiently the next day while being happier. I’m thankful to my best friend that reminded me to “waste time”. So, this is a reminder to you. Waste your time. Dance your heart out. Watch that movie you’ve been waiting to watch. Light some candles and take a bath. Cook some good food or order in and relax. Paint a picture or play some music. Do what you love and just stop working for a day. Be with yourself. Be with your friends and family. Rejuvenate. I promise you that it won’t be time wasted.