WHEN was the last time you sat back and did nothing? A little mindless indulgence, a daydream or two can help make you a little bit happier.
Block out your morning schedule. Sit on your couch. Put your feet up. Gaze into the ceiling and let your mind wander. Do nothing.
When on vacation, resist the urge to pack your days with wall-to-wall itineraries. Checking those must-see sites is indeed an experience, but so will hanging out idly by the beach, watching the waves.
Go to a café, order your favorite drink. Resist the urge to hook up to wi-fi. Take in the scenery, people-watch. Enjoy the sensuality of doing nothing.
“What a waste of time!,” one may think. I think otherwise. After all, you’re spending time with yourself, aren’t you? Making time for yourself is hardly wasted time. By doing nothing, you connect with yourself quietly, meaningfully.
Do you find it hard to do nothing? Perhaps you are feeling too restless? Take baby steps. Here are some doing-nothing ideas. If you have:
1 minute: Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Focus on your breathing and let your stress melt away with each exhale.
10 minutes: Take a slow-motion bath. Rushing off to work allows us no time for smooth carefree movements in the shower or tub, so use these 10 minutes for some slow-motion shampooing and body pampering.
30 minutes: Go for a coffee break. Sip your drink and enjoy its sweetness, its bitterness. Gaze absent-mindedly into your cup or at the scenery. If you have a garden at home, take a chair and sit back with a glass of lemonade. Take in the fresh air and good sun, just be quiet.
1 hour: Take a walk. Walk aimlessly. See where your feet take you. If you’d rather not walk, grab a light comedy film and pop it in your DVD. Throw in some popcorn for some absent-minded but enjoyable chewing.
1 day: Do not plan anything. See where your day takes you. If you find yourself staying home painting your nails or listening to music all day, well and good.
During any of these moments, do not think of anything else! Indulge in the nothing-ness of the moment. You’ll feel lighter, calmer, more connected with yourself. And doesn’t that make you happier? There IS happiness in doing nothing at all.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:23 am
[...] "There is happiness in doing nothing" [...]
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:22 am
[...] One of the many things that were being suggested in the medical sphere to avoid getting the awful disease called Alzheimer is keeping your mind as active as you can - card games, puzzles, crosswords, board games, etc. - and have plenty of social interactions, and if you can’t get out and about easily, the Internet can be a place to start. Well, not only that we want to do this to avoid Alzheimer, we need to do this to enjoy and lengthen our life as well. Relaxation is very important to our body and mind. I imagined it like a garden that just got its fresh manicure; or a cluttered house that just got uncluttered and organized; or a kitchen that just got emptied from the last night’s party. It’s doing nothing after a hectic day and there is happiness in doing nothing as I have read in this article I stumbled upon here. [...]
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
[...] Follow the link to her blog, simply named “Happy Nest” here. [...]
April 17th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Hi,
I really appreciate my life today! doing things that i want,and doing nothing when i get home from the office,is really a treasure for me! while resting, either, sitting while stretching my legs, and staring nowwhere, with a glass of water in my hand; or lying in bed & standing my legs on the wall,while listening to music ,is my everyday routine, to keep me connected to myself and enjoying being alone in the house… its absolutely relaxing…
April 3rd, 2008 at 10:27 am
i like this idea … once in a while it’s very healthy but too much is lethargic … sit and move on after …