Get Better at... Doing Nothing? The Art of Productive Rest
Productivity hacks, 5am morning routines (although, personally, I am a fan of early mornings), and the just one more email before bed mentality have convinced us that if we’re not grinding, we’re somehow failing.
But what if I told you that the secret to true success isn’t doing more… it’s doing absolutely nothing?
I know. Sounds fake. But stay with me.
Why ‘Doing Nothing’ Feels So Damn Hard
Just last week, I was in Poland, hiking through forests and strolling along the beach, when I had a realisation: I had no idea how to truly rest.
I had just stopped taking my ADHD medication, which basically forced me to slow down (whether I liked it or not). At first, it felt… weird. My brain, usually running at 100mph, was suddenly calm. No hyper-focus on my next task, no mental to-do list ticking away, no nagging voice telling me I should be “making the most” of my time.
And my body? Running on fumes. I was suddenly sleeping 12 hours a night, a clear sign I had been seriously overdoing it.
That’s when it hit me: I had been treating rest like an inconvenience.
But as the days went on, something shifted. The long hikes, the fresh air, the sound of the waves, it all started to clear my mind in a way I hadn’t felt in years. My thoughts became less chaotic, my creativity started flowing, and for the first time in a long time, I felt present.
Turns out, doing nothing was exactly what I needed.
Let’s do a quick check-in.
Raise your hand if you:
?? Feel guilty when you take a break (as if Jeff Bezos is personally disappointed in you).
?? Can’t "relax" without scrolling through TikTok.
?? Take a rest day but somehow still end up reorganising your wardrobe.
?? Keep telling yourself you’ll take a break after you finish one more thing (which never happens).
Yeah, same.
Resting feels unnatural because we’ve been programmed to believe it’s a reward, not a necessity.
But here’s the truth: your brain isn’t a machine, it needs real, quality rest to function at its best.
And if you don’t give it that? It’ll take rest in ways you don’t want, like burnout, brain fog, or those random moments when you open the fridge and completely forget why you’re there.
The Science of Doing Nothing
Research shows that intentional rest improves focus, creativity, and decision-making. The brain has two key modes:
Ever wondered why your best ideas come in the shower? That’s the DMN at work!
Even when you’re chilling, your brain is quietly solving problems in the background. And yet, we avoid true rest like it’s an ex who wants to “talk.”
So, how do we get better at productive nothingness without spiralling into existential dread?!
Find Comfort in Boredom
When was the last time you let yourself be truly bored without immediately grabbing your phone? We treat it like the worst possible fate, as if having nothing to do for five minutes might actually kill us.
But remember when you were a kid? A stick became a sword, a cardboard box was a spaceship, and watching raindrops race down a window was peak entertainment.
Back then, boredom was our gateway to imagination.
And then? We unlearned it. We got used to constant stimulation, endless scrolling, and the feeling that we must be doing something at all times. And now? The second boredom creeps in, we panic-reach for our phones like they’re life rafts.
Fortunately, that ability isn’t gone, you just need to reclaim it.
In The Power of Fun, Catherine Price talks about how true fun, the kind that makes you feel alive, comes when we’re fully engaged in the moment, not passively consuming content. Ironically, our obsession with avoiding boredom actually makes life less fun.
So, next time you feel the urge to fill every empty moment, resist it.
Let yourself stare at the ceiling. Watch the clouds. Give your brain the blank space it’s been craving. You never know what brilliant, ridiculous, or completely unexpected thought might appear.
How to Actually Do Nothing (Productively)
Schedule ‘Do Nothing’ Time
Yes, literally put it in your calendar.
Block out 15 minutes to sit, breathe, and not perform for the world. Just exist.
Try this: Set a 10-minute timer and do nothing. Stare out the window. Lay on the floor. Watch your pet be weird. At first, your brain will scream, DO SOMETHING, YOU LAZY GREMLIN!
But over time, you’ll start to enjoy it and actually feel the benefits.
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Stop Equating Rest with Netflix & Scrolling
I hate to break it to you, but binge-watching an entire series while simultaneously doom-scrolling doesn’t count as rest. That’s just overstimulating yourself in a horizontal position.
Instead of feeling recharged, you find yourself two hours deep into a TikTok rabbit hole, somehow watching a documentary about the mating habits of sea cucumbers (??), or rewatching Friends for the 12th time.
Why? Because we confuse numbing out with resting.
Some of the world’s greatest thinkers, like Einstein and Da Vinci, deliberately scheduled time for aimless pondering. And it worked.
So, how do you actually rest instead of just zoning out?
??♀? Go for a short walk without your phone. No podcasts, no music, just you and your thoughts.
?? Read something purely for enjoyment. No self-improvement books. No productivity hacks. Just a story.
?? Daydream. Stare out the window and let your brain do its thing.
??? Doodle or journal. No structured bullet points, no goal, just let your hand move.
Your Personal ‘Rest Ritual’
Not all rest is created equal. There’s a massive difference between rest that actually restores you and rest that just leaves you feeling sluggish.
If you need quiet & stillness, try:
If you recharge through movement & flow, try:
If you’re a creative rest-er, try:
The key? Make it a ritual. Find what actually makes you feel refreshed, and do it on purpose.
Rest Isn’t a Luxury, It’s Fuel.
The most successful people don’t rest because they’ve earned it, they rest so they can continue to show up at their best.
When you prioritise intentional breaks, you:
? Improve focus & creativity (your best ideas come when you’re not forcing them)
? Reduce stress & burnout (your body will force rest on you if you don’t take it willingly)
? Make better decisions (because brain fog isn’t a personality trait)
? Actually enjoy your life more (wild concept, I know)
Instead of thinking, I don’t have time to rest, try reframing it:
??? “Rest is the key to my best work.”
?? “If I don’t recharge, I won’t have energy for the things I care about.”
?? “I do my best thinking when I stop forcing productivity.”
The Takeaway? Rest Is a Power Move.
If you take one thing from this, let it be this: Instead of waiting until you’re too exhausted to function, start treating rest like the non-negotiable power move it actually is.
And, if you feel guilty for taking a break, remind yourself: even your phone needs to recharge.
Now, go stare at a wall or take an unreasonably long shower. Your brain will thank you.
Here’s to your next chapter,?fresh starts, and the magic of possibility.
You’ve got this! ?
Chasing dreams with you,
Angel