Sara - Week 9 - The Power of Doing Nothing
Being in junior year, everyone’s always running around. Everyone’s juggling school, extracurriculars, homework, and life in general, like we’re all in some sort of race. We’re all constantly told to be busy. If you're not doing something every second of the day, then you're not doing enough, right? But here’s the thing: what if doing nothing is exactly what you need?
I’m not talking about the “doing nothing” where you’re scrolling through TikTok for hours or binge-watching Netflix (because we all know that’s just trading one type of busy for another.) I’m talking about real nothing. The kind where you just sit, relax, and let your mind wander without trying to fix anything. No deadlines, no stress, no pressure.
And the funny thing is, sometimes the best ideas come when we’re absolutely doing nothing. Think about those moments when you're in the shower or lying in bed, not thinking about anything in particular. Suddenly, your brain starts connecting the dots, and the problem you were stressing over or the idea that wouldn’t come to you shows up out of nowhere. It’s almost like giving your brain space to breathe makes it work better.
However, doing nothing is harder than it sounds. In a world where we’re always told to hustle, sitting still might feel like we’re breaking the rules. It can feel like you’re wasting time, even though your brain is actually recharging and working on its own. And that’s the thing about doing nothing: it’s one of the most productive things you can do, even if it doesn’t feel that way at first.
We get so caught up in checking things off our list and making sure we’re always moving forward. But here’s a thought: maybe the real trick to feeling balanced isn’t about doing more, but about doing less (at least for a little while). Letting your mind have a break from all the noise gives you the chance to come back to everything with a clearer head, and maybe even a new perspective.
We don’t need to constantly be “on.” Sometimes, it’s okay to just be still. In fact, it might just be the most powerful thing you can do.
Hi Sara,
ReplyDeleteYour blog is crazy relatable, I love the way the start of your blog caught my attention and hooked me in with the amount of relatability. I couldn’t agree more. We barely have any time to truly sit down and do nothing! I also skimmed through the article you hyper linked and found it really interesting! And yeah, a lot of the times I’ve found myself being able to be more mentally productive when I’m doing nothing which seems almost humorous! One of my resolutions for this year is to in fact balance my day so I have time to do everything and to do nothing!
Hi Sara! Your blog was so touching and relatable. I feel that this year has been a complete roller coaster for me and my friends. We are all trying to balance everything we can put on our plates. School, homework, extracurricular, volunteering, and trying to maintain connection with everyone. But this year, for us, we all started putting a heavier emphasis on going somewhere all together on the weekends, studying together, and just trying to add a little more fun into everything. The crazy thing is that, I also find myself with the best bizarre ideas when I am showering and this entire time I thought it was a unique experience.
ReplyDeleteHi Sara,
ReplyDeleteAs a cross-country and track runner, I can heavily relate to the opening line especially since I took it quite literally. Yes, junior year does feel like a race, and it feels like a race of managing my time against time itself. I only have a select range of time for me to be “free,” and it does not help that my time after school is crunched from practice and homework. However, I do agree that doing nothing does help to relieve some stress because it feels as if there is nothing to be done. One thing that I do besides nothing is something that I enjoy, like a small hobby or something that makes me feel better for 10-15 minutes before getting back to homework. It also takes my mind off of schoolwork but at least I can feel productive in some way. Great blog!
Hey Sara! This was one of the most relatable blogs I have read so far. I think the general feeling of everyone in Junior rushing, writing, working like they are running out of time is so overwhelmin, making it necessary to take a break and do "nothing" as you say. I agree in how powerful these moments are, as you connect the idea of stillness to creativity which is so true. Almost every good essay I have written has began with me sitting down and just thinking when a winning idea clicks to me in my head. Moments like this tempt me to keep a notebook on me next to my bed, in case I wake up to a late-night epiphany. I love how you provide an alternative to the societal norm of constant hustling, being peace and relaxation which is so important for all of us to try to internalize. I'm curious, what are certain techniques you have to achieve a true state of "doing nothing?"
ReplyDeleteHi Sara! The importance of stepping back and taking a break is a unique approach to this topic, and one that I think is creative and quite insightful. I like the sentiment you expressed at the end, that we don’t have to be “on” all the time; I’m someone who’s prone to always finding something to stress about, so it’s reassuring to hear this message from one of my peers.
ReplyDeleteTaking breaks and enjoying what we love to do is extremely important, as you emphasized in your blog—it’s also crucial for both interpersonal and intrapersonal learning. Carving time out of your day to treat yourself or to just hang out with friends probably (I haven’t researched this) leads to developments in emotional intelligence, a skill which should not be overlooked. Having the time to breathe, rest, and relax also means that when someone goes back to a task they were previously struggling with, they have a fresh perspective and a recharged body; taking care of oneself is ultimately much more important than stressing and ultimately burning out. I appreciate the topic you chose for your blog and the insights you presented!