What a fast life and world in which we live in. With our daily life and busy occupation, we may think we are taking enough time for us, but what if you don’t “do nothing” the right way or long enough? Pretty ironic question I’d say.
When I think of doing nothing, I imagine a man looking at the stars during the night or a girl reading a book under a tree relaxing peacefully. However, this is not what we are accustomed to anymore. The monotony of our daily life is similar to- wake up to an alarm, check the phone, complete errands, rush to work or home, take care of the children, check the daily to-do list, and so on. If you can’t complete your to-do list today, one may get more stressed than he or she already is. Finally, the day ends and we end up with our eyes fixed on a screen or thinking about how to finish your endless to-do list. Anyway, tomorrow brings a new day, a new opportunity to accomplish your goals both big and small.
We are constantly under stress, which leads to exhaustion. It is as though we are a by product of our fast paced world and lack control. Instead, we have to adapt ourselves to this short life and strive for peace and control.
This is essential for our health and well-being. Now the question becomes, how would people feel knowing that their to-do list is getting longer and longer?
Let us look back in history and learn how to do nothing with the Dutch concept of Niksen. Niksen is a stress-reducing practice that literally means to do nothing. In practice, this means "To do without the expectation to achieve anything from it. It is detached from the negative connotations of procrastinating."
In fact, if you can perfect the act of doing nothing, you will be able to maximize your productivity when you are engaging in activity! The goal is achieve optimal performance when it is time to complete your to-do list.
See below the To-do list for performing The Art of Doing Nothing:
- Eliminate distractions for a moment. This stormy life can wait a minute. Your batteries need to recharge.
- Find an activity which can help you focuse on yourself. Have you ever thought of trying yoga?
- Just sit and do nothing and appreciate the outdoors.
- Practice meditation. Allow your thoughts to occur and focus on peace.
Who knows…maybe sitting outside and taking in fresh air can help you get a new perspective that can make you more efficient in your daily life. Take a moment, look at the starts, look at the trees, and relax your mind and body. You’ll be surprised how lucrative doing nothing can be! Ironic isn’t it?