The Art of Doing Nothing (And Why You Deserve It)

Gabby
Jun 8
2 min read

Updated: Jun 27

Pixel art of a person standing by a colorful flowerbed. Text bubble reads "The art of doing nothing (and why you deserve it)." Sky background.

Some days, the most productive thing you can do is... absolutely nothing. As a teacher, creator, and chronic multitasker, the pressure to always be "on" is very real. The school year runs like a machine, bell to bell, deadline to deadline, and even now, during summer break, I catch myself mentally drafting to-do lists before I've even finished my coffee. Lately, I’ve been wondering: what if doing nothing is the exact thing I need?

We live in a world that idolizes hustle culture. Productivity is praised while stillness is misunderstood. But when I finally allowed myself a full day of rest, no emails, no errands, not even a cute little side project, I realized something magical: my brain started to breathe again. My creativity came back, I started daydreaming, and from those daydreams came inspiration.

Doing nothing doesn’t mean being lazy. It means giving your mind a break from the constant input and output cycle. It’s reclaiming your peace, your curiosity, your ability to wonder and wander. It’s space. And in that space, you might just find the best parts of yourself. In this busy world that we live in, we forget to reset our minds and we need that reset. You don't always have to be planning your next move or planning your newest project.

Turning your brain off of real life for a day isn't easy, but I am embracing it today, especially since the school year is over. I no longer have to answer a million different questions for five days straight and I no longer have to think about what assignment my students are going to complete tomorrow. I do have to plan for the next school year, but I find that a do nothing day helps me come up with lesson plans a whole lot easier!

Today, this Sunday, I’m embracing the art of doing nothing. Chilling by the water, maybe a nap, definitely a book, and watching the light shift through my blinds while I listen to a playlist that feels like a weighted blanket. Because rest isn't the reward for hard work, it's the foundation for it.