Master the art of doing absolutely nothing.
Ah, busyness. The modern status symbol. Forget designer bags or flashy watches—if your calendar isn’t bursting at the seams, are you even trying? These days, the more overbooked, overworked and overwhelmed you are, the more gold stars society throws your way. “You’re so busy? Wow, you must be really important.”
I won’t lie, I used to be one of those people. When I wasn’t at work or freelancing, my calendar was packed with travel plans, social dates and community events. I felt productive and important, thanks in part to social media; when you’re out meeting people and attending events often enough, you’re constantly being tagged. I was barely ever home. My Netflix and Unifi TV subscriptions gathered dust, and my cat was bored out of his mind from being alone all day. And when I was home, it was only to shower and sleep.
Until Covid-19 hit us like nothing we’d ever experienced. Suddenly, the safest place to be was at home, ideally in seclusion. Yet we adapted quickly and found new ways to share and connect through video calls and social media, embracing hobbies like gardening, crocheting and making Dalgona coffee. Even growing taugeh—a typical secondary school experiment—became a renewed passion among adults.
The desire to interact with others is human nature—and a healthy one, too. But even in a time when we were supposed to slow down, we reverted to our habit of overbooking ourselves with activities, despite being stuck at home.
Amid the madness of lockdowns, restricted movement, online shopping, and endless Zoom calls, I had an epiphany: What’s everyone running from?
Why were we so determined to ignore all the warnings and stay busy, even when the universe was practically screaming at us to slow down by literally killing so many of us (RIP to the victims of Covid-19)? Why is stillness so terrifying that we’d rather schedule back-to-back meetings about meetings than sit quietly for ten minutes?
Here’s a thought: doing nothing means being present, and being present means confronting the uncomfortable truth that we are not machines. It forces us to acknowledge that we are finite, that we have limitations. Like the Energizer Bunny, we will eventually run out of battery. Yikes.
The art of doing nothing has become so rare, it’s practically vintage. But despite the world screaming go faster, there’s power in slowing down. You don’t have to meditate on a mountain (though you can if you like overpriced retreats). Start small. Personally, I’ve spent more time interacting or simply looking at my cat, squealing and laughing at everything he does because he really is just that cute. It’s therapeutic, knowing that I can still find joy in such a simple thing.
You can also do nothing and find joy even without a pet. Stare out the window. People-watch without judgment, or at least without tweeting about it. Take a walk with no destination, no playlist, and no steps goal. Heck, take a nap lying face down. Revolutionary, I know.
You don’t need to justify rest. You don’t need to monetise your hobbies or “optimise” your downtime. You are allowed to simply exist without producing, achieving or hashtagging. Ask yourself how many of things you overbooked yourself for were actually worth it, then pare it down.
So next time you feel guilty for not being busy, remember: the world will keep spinning. Your inbox will still be overflowing. And sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is… absolutely nothing.
Shermian Lim 