The subtle art of doing nothing. That’s right Mark Manson.
No f**ks given.
We live in a day and age where we cannot switch off. Doing nothing is no longer sweet anymore. Well at least not like how Italians know “il Dolce Far Niente,” which means “the sweetness of doing nothing”.
Let’s be honest, can you remember the last time you took a break to just do nothing?
While we’ve become, as a society, more anxious than ever, with anxiety rates skyrocketing, we sometimes forget our options of either not giving a f**k or simply just doing nothing. (Thank you Mark Manson.)
By no means am I encouraging you to stay at home, sip on some soda and tune into Kylie and Kim’s latest episode on E!…
That’s not my point.
In fact that’s an invalid point because then you’d actually be doing something: Watching glorified celebrities doing nothing!
The point I’m trying to get across here is spending time to empty your mind using ways that do NOT hinder the purposes of breaks and/or days off.
I say this because for many millennials, taking a break means scrolling down on their instagram feeds. While that may satisfying, it significantly hinders their health.
Depriving the mind, from time to time, to turn down distractions in your life can actually hinder the quality of your mental health.
It’s a fact: Obsessing over instant gratifications comes at a significant cost.
We call it addiction.
Reload…. No more likes.
What Do I Mean by “Doing Nothing”
While it may really sound idiotic, doing nothing is actually becoming increasingly challenging.
Can you imagine no Netflix, no internet, no Facebook, no YouTube, no Instagram?
How would you feel? What would you do with a sudden daily 3 hour vacant time-slot in your life?
The subtle art of doing nothing is, after all, genius.
Those who can master it are likely to achieve ten times more and accomplish significantly more than those who don’t.
Doing nothing allows your mind to empty, renew and recharge its energy. More-so, it allows for intentional self-reflection.
It gives us the opportunity to live a much more balanced life, which, believe it or not, is a blessing for ourselves.
The subtle art of doing nothing leads to higher productivity and higher levels of self-esteem.
After all, “il Dolce Far Niente” may well be what the world really needs.
A simple concept with the ability to transform lives and enhance our mental wellbeing.
Try setting an hour a day to “do nothing” and watch how your life unfolds.
Let us know in the comment section below if you’d like Empower Mag to write more about the subtle art of doing nothing!
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