five minutes to do nothing
because it's really something (and you've got five minutes)
If you’re anything like me, you bask in the satisfaction and accomplishment of getting a job done and doing it well. Indeed, there’s an undeniable buzz when you get to tick off the list and for the rest of the day, think: Yes! I got that done today.
It’s this same process that I use for doing nothing. I wouldn’t go as far as calling myself an expert but I wholeheartedly understand the value of being somewhat idle. Of course, that word immediately conjures thoughts of laziness and sloth-like behaviour which is nothing new, it’s the seventh cardinal sin after all. But in a world where hustle culture is deeply ingrained, it takes a certain amount of intention to step to the side and take a breather.
Granted, it’s taken me years to actually recognise the value of letting the mind wander as I stare out the window. But I did a lot of that in early motherhood and again when we were on the road and now, it’s what I do every day when I’m sitting at my desk, writing. So much of writing is sitting in stillness, thinking and pondering and waiting for a tiny bit of an idea to unfurl.
By definition, nothing is no thing, not anything. Nothingness is worthlessness or insignificance. No wonder we find it so hard to value it.
To do nothing, do you just sit and quietly think? Yes, you could do that.