A Case for Doing Absolutely Nothing!

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I did something drastic. Absolutely nothing. I spent an entire 24 hours on my couch. I did not do dishes, make my bed, fold laundry, write, read anything related to work, exercise or groom myself in any way. For those of you who do not know me that is the equivalent of saying I ran away to the circus and then set myself on fire. It simply does not happen.

I woke up and found myself totally unmotivated and unable to talk myself into being a responsible adult. Instead, I spent the day watching old movies and ABC sitcoms from the aughts and only got off the couch to answer the door when my food delivery arrived. It was the best use of my time in years.

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For the first few hours, I actually felt intense guilt. I had so much on my to-do list and there was no real reason for me to do nothing, I wasn’t sick or on vacation. It just felt…wrong.

As educators, parents, caregivers, and expats living in a city that seems like it never rests, we are constantly trying to navigate all the things we “should” be doing – working, chores, caring for our families, being there for our friends – while also making the most of this incredible once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience. It is awesome…it is exhausting.

But after several hours of nonproductivity, the day was a wash so I realized, might as well stop fighting the urge to do nothing and enjoy it.

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The interesting thing was what happened the next day. I was crazy productive. In the first few hours I managed to get every one of my household chores done and by the time dinner rolled around I had not only finished my to-do list for the weekend, I still had enough energy to go out and meet friends for dinner and – gasp – be truly present with them.

In our search to be balanced humans we talk a lot about self-care. But eventually, the manicures, workouts, and meditation sessions just become another thing to take care of. My do-nothing day did more for my mental well-being than any spa day could have. I’m not likely to take a full 24 hours off in the near future, but once in a while, a few hours of being nonproductive might just be the best thing for my productivity. I encourage you to give yourself the same permission.

Images: Unsplash, giphy

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