Doing Nothing Is An Art

With the cold winter months slowly creeping closer, it's becoming more and more tempting to cuddle up under a warm blanket while watching our favorite Netflix show and do absolutely nothing. We're so used to being busy all the time, especially with school, exams, social events and other commitments, that we sometimes forget to take a deep breath and relax. However, when we finally do find the time to take a breath, it can feel weird — almost like we're missing out on something.

These upcoming months are the perfect time to unwind, take it easy and do nothing. Doing nothing, although it may seem counterproductive or dull, is actually something that is very good for our minds and our bodies. It's very important to give ourselves a break every once in a while.

Most of us are in a constant "state of doing," whether that means scrolling through social media to take a break from homework, hanging out with friends or making plans, we are always occupied. When we find ourselves with nothing to do, it can often cause us to feel uneasy or bored. What we don't realize though is that not having plans or a to-do list does have its benefits.

We may ask ourselves: what really is "doing nothing?" Is it sitting on the couch watching TV? Catching up with sleep after a long week of work? Having a spa day or a trip to the golf range? Staring at a blank wall? In reality, "doing nothing" can be all or none of those things. We each have a different interpretation of what "doing nothing" is, but to put it in simple terms, it's the opposite of the "state of doing" — it is the state of being.

Taking the time to do what we consider as "nothing" opens up the opportunity for us to really reflect on ourselves and what's been going on in our lives lately. Self-reflection is so important to self-improvement. It helps us to realize what is meaningful to us and to pinpoint exactly what we want to spend our time on. Living in a state of being helps us declutter our physical and mental spaces as well as remember what we enjoy doing in life.

Doing nothing, or living in a state of being, helps us to consciously live our lives in the moment so we aren't always focusing on what may be coming up next. Living in such a busy world, it's hard not to anticipate the future and constantly be worried about checking the next thing off of our list. However, we can (and should) try to be mindful of every activity we do in the present moment.

Especially as college students, when we let ourselves take a weekend to relax rather than going out with friends, it acts almost as a reset for both our bodies and our minds. As the school week comes to an end, it's healthy for us to spend some time focusing on ourselves and what we enjoy in order to simply "be." Doing nothing, whatever it may be, can motivate us to discover a new mindset and help us to live in each moment with great joy and satisfaction.