La dolce far niente: A survivor’s guide to doing nothing on your time off

Your leave hours have stacked up from the previous year. It’s already the end of July and you had no time to plan for a vacation, yet in August you need to take some time off to unwind.

A week of leave with no plans might seem boring and tough but, as it turns out, the ‘dolce far niente’ (sweetness of doing nothing) lifestyle is highly beneficial for personal growth and development.

While many opt to fill their off days with activities and errands, doing nothing might be more productive in the long run. Here is why doing nothing on your time off will reap benefits when you’re busy at work.

Defining ‘nothing’

While the act of doing nothing can be subjective, based on the individual’s perspective on nothing, the general idea is to limit one’s activities to stimulate thought and reflection, essentially getting rid of distractions.

While doing nothing can be sitting on a bench watching the moon reflect on the sea, others consider leaving the phone at home and going on a silent walk as nothing too.

Psychiatrist and Director of the Centre on Stress and Health at Stanford University David Spiegel noted that doing nothing should allow the person to turn down the part of them that asks: “What should I worry about?” and “what am I accomplishing?”

On the other hand, Psychiatrist at Henry Ford Health Lisa MacLean said that “sometimes we need to idle the engine and just be. A well-placed time out can be extremely effective, improving your ability to innovate, reason and be present in your daily life.”

What are the top five benefits?

1) Boost creativity

Not being consumed by thoughts of everyday life and letting your mind wander without the pressure of finding solutions to problems can lead to innovative and creative ideas.

Furthermore, having a monotonous daily routine can end up blocking the mind, becoming boring and leading to dull cognitive thinking.

2) Increased productivity

Although doing nothing and being productive contradict each other, these happen in different timeframes. Research indicates that taking breaks will eventually improve concentration and extend the attention span. This will eventually be transformed into increased productivity when returning back to work.

3) Sharpening problem-solving skills

Doing nothing does not mean that you block off all work-related thoughts but rather being able to think more logically.

For instance, letting the brain wander and relax, will give you a clearer picture about a particularly difficult situation at work and help you tackle it in an objective manner, without the added stress of completing time-sensitive tasks.

This will give you the opportunity to think logically, solve problems better and make informed decisions.

4) Relaxation

Physically, not being in a state of stress and pressure and having a lighter load can lead to more relaxation, lower or more stable blood pressure, improved digestion and relaxed muscles.

A retired clinical psychologist and faculty member of California State University Francine Toder shared that when one is busy, the stress hormone cortisol increases “and that raises blood pressure, increases muscle tension and intensifies irritability.”

“You need to actively do something to reverse the stress response, which is what ‘doing nothing’ or defocusing accomplishes,” she added.

5) Recharging the brain  

The perks of having time off with no plans during the day include not having to set the alarm clock. Letting the body catch up on sleep will have a number of benefits on the body but it will also allow the brain to restore itself.

Do you have any plans this summer?