Doing Nothing to Do More

The pandemic has made many of our lives busier than ever before. Remote work, 24X7 connectedness, virtual meetings and homeschooling have taken over our lives. So, why would we want to do nothing when there is so much to do? Doing nothing sounds like the opposite of being productive. In the words of Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh, “In our society, we’re inclined to see doing nothing as something negative, even evil.”

In my own life, I have found doing nothing to be far more productive than we realize. The first benefit is obvious; it promotes mental well-being, which in turn reduces stress and burnout. The second not-so-obvious benefit has to do with getting the mental space, equivalent of a fresh canvas, to think about new ideas and chipping away on hard problems.

With all the distractions these days, when trying to solve problems my mind jumps to the most accessible answers. However, when I spend time doing nothing I feel a sense of space to ponder and reflect, helping me bring out my creativity to the challenges at hand.

That said, we are so used to running around from one meeting to the other and defaulting to problem solving mode that doing nothing actually requires practice.

Since the beginning of this year, I have intentionally built doing nothing into my schedule and it has not only been a great investment in my personal well-being but also helped me increase my productivity and creativity.

The first step to entering my do nothing zone is unplugging from the internet and any and all devices. The hardest thing in the beginning was to control the urge to check my smartphone every minute. What helped here was keeping my phone out of sight for the first week or so until I didn’t feel the urge anymore. 

I have found that it’s easier to stick to it if I can combine this with a ritual, which is different from a routine. To me a ritual evokes a special meaning to a recurring activity such as lighting a candle every evening. It is not done to achieve something, but to symbolize the change of the setting. It means switching off from the hustle and bustle of the day and enjoying the stillness of the evening.

Next, I mindfully relax. It’s different from sleeping, it’s making my mind and body experience nothingness actively. (Although a good night’s sleep is probably step zero of doing nothing effectively.) We usually feel the need to relax after a busy or stressful day. But here, think of relaxing as a pre-work activity instead of a post work activity. It’s similar to taking a training day off before long distance runs or a backpacking trip  to prepare your mind.

Create your own ritual for doing nothing, something that calms and revitalizes you. My morning ritual of doing-nothing for 20-30 minutes while sipping tea and  staring out the window watching the sunrise just letting my mind wander is easily my favorite time of the day. The good news is that you can start practicing doing nothing any day, anytime and anywhere. All you need are a few minutes and the right intentions.