Introduction
It’s not always time to produce, to create, or to follow a made up schedule of doing things a certain way. We don’t need to be tired in order to rest. We have already come a long way, and rarely do we recognise that and stop for a while. Let’s do so now!
How familiar are these questions to you?
- How much (fake) work can I pile up before the weight burdens my mental desk and guilty conscience?
- How can I even allow myself to do nothing, as there is always so much left to do?
- How much do I have to do for my well-being? Can’t I just be and exist?
- And is it possible that more is solved by doing nothing than by working hard?
If these questions sound familiar because you ask them over and over again, maybe it’s time to take a step back and relax. Do nothing. Explore the concept of leisure and let it all just flow.
The power of doing nothing
For so long, I had made a habit to strive to achieve progress, to get to places, to change my circumstances. I deepened that behaviour because I thought it was the best way. It kept me busy (always appreciated that) and I didn’t have to deal with a lot of things because I looked away (unhealthy!).
However I also missed out on a lot of relaxation and the great recurring realisation that situations or issues can resolve themselves, or if you give them time, space and do nothing.
If only I had realised earlier that by doing nothing, by resting and by allowing things to come my way .. I would have saved myself a lot of unnecessary pressure, detours and suffering.
This might be an oddly short episode
Because so is life and my desire to keep finding joy and fun working on things. Less is more. Why not rest for now and enjoy this spaciousness?
I’ll be off colouring a few mandalas and probably take a nap afterwards.
What will you do to step out and rest?
You might find these reflective questions helpful
Perhaps you can transform the question of “Do I prioritise rest as much as work?” into the following ones.
- When you’re stressed .. Do you tend to work more or are you aware of the option to rest?
- What opportunities arise when you allow yourself to pause for a moment?
- Let’s say you have to write an ode to doing nothing – what would you write about?
- Perhaps it’s possible for you to finish this following sentence: “I better stop for a while because it would actually help me to .. “
There’s a really good book I read about doing nothing
But it goes against what I’m trying to do here with this chapter. It’s not about adding to your already long list of unread books. But about rest.