TO DO NOTHING

Do you remember, many years ago, when you were waiting for bread at the bakery? At that moment your brain and imagination were free to go miles away. It was the same when you were waiting for your dentist appointment looking at old magazines and spacing out…Nowadays, all these spaces we had are filled accessing social media. Just look around. Everywhere people are immersed in their phones, scrolling, and scrolling, just like a natural thing.

Personally, it’s difficult to remember the last time I allowed my brain to literally do nothing. While in the supermarket line, for example, I write my to do list, I delete repeated pictures in my phone, I shop, I text, I read some e-mails…The same while I’m waiting for one meeting. I know it’s the same for you.

Although you feel guilty about doing nothing, the truth is that the “dolce far niente”, as they say in Italy, is very healthy. The brain is always working, one hundred percent of the time, even when we are sleeping. So, these moments of doing nothing have allowed one kind of organization in the house. It is what happens when you have a great idea while taking a shower or cooking, or even when you are trying to do something else, you take a break and feel the inspiration come.

Next time you are doing nothing, fight against that impetus to use your phone. Stop, just a little bit, to try to optimize time. Allow yourself to do nothing, just like old times. Your brain will thank you for that.