The positive side effects of doing nothing: it’s healthy
The positive side effects of doing nothing: it's healthy
Published: 21 JAN 2022 | Updated: 14 FEB 2022
Read on to learn the story behind the artwork.
HEALTH| How often do you do nothing? Really nothing. Like the “just sitting on the couch and staring off into space, alone with your thoughts” kind of nothing. Completely free from distractions. If you’re anything like the average person today, you’re probably thinking “rarely” or even more likely, “never.”
No time to waste? Go directly to the details.
WHERE WE GOT IT FROM
Sources
• CNN
• Elle
• Radiant Life
• SCL Health
Benefits
In today’s world, we’re accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We gladly take the time to charge our phone’s battery, but disregard recharging our own. The second boredom strikes, we pick up our phones and scroll through social media or turn on the TV and start binge-watching a show we’ve already seen.
Doing nothing has become a thing of the past, which means people are experiencing burnout at record-breaking speeds.
You might be surprised to find that there are actual benefits of doing absolutely nothing. When you turn off all distractions, it allows space for your subconscious to expand, ultimately boosting your creativity. When distracted, our mind jumps to the most obvious answers when trying to solve problems. But once you take the time to exhaust those options, you end up thinking of breakthrough, inventive answers that can lead to some life-changing ideas.
Inner voice
Boredom also lets you know when something is wrong. When you’re constantly buzzing around, checking off your to-do list, it’s easy to ignore emotions and miss out on what that inner voice is trying to tell you. But when you start to quiet your mind and your surroundings, you can start to feel those gut feelings coming to the surface, ultimately motivating you to make changes that better your life.
TITLE
Doing Nothing
EDITION
Zapedski Regular #003
Original Emerald Edition
DESCRIPTION
Digital artwork
AVAILABILITY
Limited edition NFTs and
limited edition art prints in various variants
PRICING AND ORDER INFORMATION
NFT editions TBA
Printed editions TBA
Probably most surprising, doing nothing can even help you to be kinder. Being alone with our thoughts makes us long for a larger sense of purpose, prompting us to try challenging and meaningful activities that extend beyond our own lives.
Change of mindset
Even after reading about the many benefits of doing nothing, you might be thinking, “but I need to be productive at all times.” It might feel weird to sit on the couch while there are chores to do, but this can be fixed with a change of mindset. Instead of seeing it as “not being productive,” think of it as investing in your own wellbeing. Because that’s exactly what it is.
You also don’t need to suddenly fit in an hour of doing nothing into your day. Start with five minutes at the same time each day. If your mind starts to turn to that email you forgot to send or your breathing starts to get ragged, don’t worry. All these reactions are normal and will fade over time. Suddenly after a week or so, doing nothing will become something you look forward to. Yes, really.
So today, go ahead and do something for yourself: Do nothing. It might just be everything you were looking for.
