In this fast-paced, ‘must be productive’ world,  we are assailed with suggestions that we are lazy or not as good, because we aren’t constantly doing: cooking, traveling, crafting, writing, making… It’s easy to forget that down-time is an important activity to reboot and reset. You can’t be on the go all the time – if you did, you’ll burn out in no time, and that’s never good. Take time to experience the pleasure of “doing nothing”.

Don’t feel guilty if you take time to just chill. Watch some TV on the couch. Play a video game. Listen to music. Read a book or browse the internet. Sit in the garden and stare at the sky. These are all activities that are ascribed by armchair critics as “doing nothing”. But you aren’t doing nothing, are you? You are being entertained, you are recharging, you are consuming media, you are learning.

And, if you are a creative person, it’s incredibly important for your own work to consume the work of others. If you are a writer, read. If you want to write a screenplay, watch movies. If you are a musician, listen to a wide variety of music. How better to learn the skills and techniques to hone your craft, than to watch and learn from the best (or worst) in your chosen field? You will find out what you like and admire, what works and what doesn’t, and you will develop your own style – all from “doing nothing”.

And if you aren’t a creative, but just enjoy those things, equally good. You enrich your life, expand your world view and gain topics for conversation. You learn about new trends and things happening in the world. You find escape from a bad day. You get lost in a good story. These are all great experiences and will do wonders to recharge you from the heaviness of the daily grind.

So don’t feel guilty about “doing nothing”. La dolce far niente.