Doing Nothing

[The Other Gary]

​

The thought of spending even a few minutes simply doing nothing is an alien experience for many. The work ethic by which we live tells us to stay busy and be productive.
There is much to be said for doing nothing from time to time.
But are we really doing nothing?
Merely sitting, relaxing, watching the shorebirds, hearing the waves and feeling the wind and the warm sun on your face is a wonderful input to the senses.
Pardon my sitting here on the seawall doing nothing for a while.

 

[MurrayM]

I find that carrying a camera gives one social license to stop & ponder the minuscule or grand.

 

[bayview]

Wife asked me what I was going to do today. I said nothing.
She said you did that yesterday.
I replied that i was not finished.

 

[GFC]

Since I retired at the end of 2010 I've spent many days doing not much, and I'm getting better at it. I'm "working" on a project right now that could easily have been done in a couple of days (giving paint time to dry ) but as of right now I've managed to stretch it out to a week.

My reason for dawdling is that my dermatologist told me to stay out of the sun as much as possible, and I'm doing that. I kind of ignore his advice when I'm running around town in my convertible, but I adhere to the advice when I'm working.

A guy just has to learn how to manage his time and not rush into things.

And Murray is right--a camera is a good thing to keep handy.

 

[bayview]

cameras and fishing poles are helpful tools for doing nothing.

 

[cardude01]

It’s important IMO to do nothing from time to time. A good time to reflect. Think.

 

[BandB]

The thought of spending even a few minutes simply doing nothing is an alien experience for many. The work ethic by which we live tells us to stay busy and be productive.
There is much to be said for doing nothing from time to time.
But are we really doing nothing?
Merely sitting, relaxing, watching the shorebirds, hearing the waves and feeling the wind and the warm sun on your face is a wonderful input to the senses.
Pardon my sitting here on the seawall doing nothing for a while.​

Actually, the work ethic we're driven to adhere to does worse to us, it teaches us that our value is in how much work we produce. Elderly, who are unable to do the things people on this forum do, often feel they no longer have any value. Isn't it really about more important parts of us than how much work we can produce?

Now, what Gary is doing, isn't "nothing". It's relaxing, thinking, refreshing himself. It's likely to result in a peaceful mood and the next person he engages in conversation will likely benefit from that.

We go fast and are very active, but I guess this morning we did "nothing" to many people. From 8:00 to 10:00 we laid in bed talking to Tabitha, a 22 year old we "adopted" (for the lack of a better word) when she turned 18. We talked about her school, her job she'll move into, her future. We talked about some of our plans. We talked about dating and boys and her likes and dislikes. We talked about some of her friends. Nothing planned, but the result of rain and wind and at 8:00 she just climbed in on top of us. Yes, we told each other how much we love the other and respect and the things we like most, the difference they've made in our life. Two hours of heavenly nothing.

Nothing more peaceful than if you do what Gary was doing with someone else and they ask "what are you thinking about?" and you can say "nothing," because you're just absorbing and experiencing. You're not thinking, you're feeling. Very nice.​

 

[CEC]

Doing nothing is fairly ez. Thinking about nothing is a different story. I’m still working on accomplishing that.

 

[MurrayM]

I think perpetually busy people are hiding from what they may discover about or within themselves.

 

[healhustler]

Doing nothing around here leads to something that to avoid, I’d do most anything.

 

[OldDan1943]

Never let your "doing nothing" interfere with your nap time!!!

 

[Fletcher500]

When younger, “doing nothing” too much is not good. When older, the right to do less and relax more has been earned.

 

[BandB]

When younger, “doing nothing” too much is not good. When older, the right to do less and relax more has been earned.

Wifey B: Sometimes when you have two people together doing nothing it turns into something.

 

[FF]

Getting caught doing nothing may get the Honny Do list posted ,


on the Plan of The Day, again.

 

[La Mer]

Last weekend I have had a very busy Sunday converting oxygen to carbon dioxide.

 

[boatlife]

Thinking about nothing is a different story. I’m still working on accomplishing that.

Get yourself into a float tank for a couple of hours. https://float.wiki/index.php?title=Locations

The lack of sensory input is incredibly helpful in calming the mind. Note that it may take ~3 sessions to really get into the zone and start to see lasting results.

 

[QB]

The highest virtue does nothing. Yet, nothing needs to be done. -- Lao Tzu

 

[cool beans]

Any advice on how to do more nothing? I get anxious when I'm not working on something for too long

 

[OldDan1943]

Any advice on how to do more nothing? I get anxious when I'm not working on something for too long

The older I get, the easier it is to do nothing. This year I turned 75. I think I have about mastered that doing nothing.

I find napping, after lunch, while pretending to watch TV helps a lot. I still have yet to master that 'sleeping late' in the mornings. Sometimes I wake, (4 to 5am) eat breakfast, go back to bed and wake slowly until 8am.

 

[Group9]

I would have happily retired at eighteen if I could have figured out a way to do it!

 

[La Mer]

I get anxious when I'm not working on something for too long

Doing nothing is very hard to do, you never know when you are finished.
Leslie Nielsen

 

[High Wire]

Ever see the movie “Office Space”?

 

[ssobol]

It’s important IMO to do nothing from time to time. A good time to reflect. Think.

Then you are doing something, not nothing.

 

[MurrayM]

I would have happily retired at eighteen if I could have figured out a way to do it!

I was 'semi-retired' until the age of 32...then I got a real job

 

[Group9]

Ever see the movie “Office Space”?

Classic!

“Someon took my stapler and it was my favorite stapler and it was on my desk and it was my stapler and they took it and I want it back.”.