The art of finding pleasure in idleness or relaxation. The precise translation is this: The sweetness of doing nothing.
When was the last time you did nothing? Like so many of us, you would probably need to stop and think about it because we very rarely allow ourselves this indulgence.
The time between Christmas and New Year is precisely when this indulgent luxury almost feels acceptable.
We are living in a time where we are busier and more stressed out than ever before, and even when we're not working, we feel obliged to do something productive.
We view the downtime as a "quiet period" to review the last year in business and to start working on a strategy for the new year. We have lists of things that never get done and think "now's the perfect time to do it". There are things that need doing around the house e.g. reorganise that wardrobe, take last season's clothes to charity, clear out the garage, take toys to a children's home, catch up on life admin, the list goes on, and if we are not busy running around getting stuff done, we are overcome with guilt.
Our culture thrives on the hustle and the busyness. We are literally unable to relax without talking on the phone, keeping on top of our whatsapp messages, responding to direct messages, checking our emails, listening to podcasts, reading books, and/or articles from our extended list of "must reads". It really is unsurprising that the rates of anxiety and stress are increasing as we slowly lose the art of doing nothing.
There is of course, to some, a challenge that presents itself when practicing the art of doing nothing; sitting with ourselves and hearing our own thoughts. We are often so afraid of being with ourselves and our own thoughts that we welcome the distraction a phone, a podcast or a book might bring.
Yet it is in these very idle moments, which neuroscientists refer to as the Default Mode Network, where some of our most brilliant ideas come from. The DMN is activated the moment you find yourself in a daydream, or when your mind wanders and is not focused on the outside world.
This really is the time of year where it is okay to turn off our to-do list. It's okay to just be. It's okay to not be goal-setting and strategy planning for the new year. It's okay to not say yes to every invite that comes our way.
Remember that taking care of ourselves gives us the capacity to take care of others, and the only ones that suffer if we don't, are ourselves.
Now as I sit here writing this blog, suggesting you watch this Ted Talk, "How boredom can lead to your most brilliant ideas" by Manoush Zomorodi, and read her book, Bored and Brilliant, the irony is not lost on me. The book gives the reader permission to unplug from their devices, get bored, and tap into a greater storehouse of creativity. Author, Charles Duhigg's (The Power of Habit and Smarter, Faster, Better) review; "Bored and Brilliant is full of easy steps to make each day more effective and every life more intentional. Manoush's mix of personal stories, neuroscience, and data will convince you that boredom is actually a gift"
Hmmm now try telling that to a generation of children whose phones have become an extension of themselves or have an addiction to gaming. That's a blog for another day.
Till then; to you, at this indulgent time of the year... may you find pleasure in Il Dolce Far Niente.
xoxo Carla
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