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It’s time to stop and take a long, deep breath. Because today, we’re going to talk about why you need a “Do-Nothing” day. How will you know if you need one? Some signs are: feeling overwhelmed or drained by life; feeling like there’s never enough time in the day; having trouble sleeping at night because your mind won’t quiet down, or just plain not enjoying things as much as usual. If this sounds like you, it’s time to plan for a Do-Nothing day!
A Do-Nothing day is precisely what it sounds like. Well…almost. I don’t mean a day where you just sit and stare, David Puddy style (Any Seinfeld fans?) It’s not a day where you literally do nothing. (Although it CAN be if that’s what you need.)
It’s a day where you plan for zero productivity, zero accomplishment, and zero responsibility (except perhaps the responsibility of self-care). It should feel like a bit of an indulgence, something you do because your body or mind needs it. It’s a day where you take time to enjoy your life and take a break from focusing on everything else.
A Do-Nothing day can take many forms. Sometimes, it’s a chance to break from the mundane and do something different – an impromptu trip or adventure day. At other times, you may need a mental health day where all you do is stay in your pajamas and binge-watch Netflix for hours on end. No judgment.
Yes. Yes. A million times, yes! Think over the past week of your life…how many “things” have you done? Little things like emptying the dishwasher, big things like meeting that deadline at work. Now, go back and think about how much time you’ve spent taking care of yourself or doing something just because you enjoy it. Or even just sitting still and getting lost in your thoughts.
If you’re like most people, there’s probably a pretty clear imbalance there. That’s normal. And it’s accepted by society as being normal. But normal doesn’t always equal healthy.
If you’ve gotten used to always being busy, the idea of taking a day to do nothing might make you cringe. Maybe you’re a little bit of a productivity junkie, and taking time off seems foreign to you. I get it. And I’m right there with you.
I still can’t sit down to watch tv without hearing my mom’s voice in my head telling me to do something productive. (She was limiting my screen time. And while that’s not a bad thing, the underlying current of “always be doing something productive” followed me right into adulthood!)
But taking a day off from “busy,” 1 day of nothing, to just enjoy life is worth getting past the initial discomfort of the idea for several reasons:
First, it gives your mind some time to relax and recharge after the busyness of everyday life.
Second, Do-Nothing days are excellent opportunities for self-reflection. You can use this day to reevaluate what’s really important in your life; and how to get the things you need to do done without zapping all of your energy.
Don’t discount the importance of doing nothing. Life is about so much more than just getting things done. You do need to be productive, but you also need some time for yourself. While “doing” gets things accomplished, how often do you really remember the days you spent marking items off your list? (Probably not that often.)
It’s essential to take a break from everything now & then and actually live. Everything on your to-do list will wait for a day. By the way, if your to-do list is getting a little out of hand, check out this post.
There are really only two options for a Do-Nothing day: planned and unplanned.
It sounds a bit silly to plan for a day without plans, I know. So why “plan” for a day that is, by definition, a day without plans? For a few reasons:
First, having a planned day to ignore my to-do list removes any guilt you might feel about spending a day being “unproductive.”
Also, it’s nice to have things prepared. Make sure there is food in the fridge ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about figuring out what to eat (mmm…snacks…); that sort of thing.
I’ll usually also do a few routine chores a little ahead of schedule so my day off doesn’t lead to more work later.
And finally, plan it out to make the most out of it!
The first thing to do is decide what your ideal Do-Nothing day would look like. If you woke up one morning with nothing at all that needed to be done, how would you spend your day? Chances are, this is going to look very different for every single one of you reading this. If you’re an active person, it might involve going for a long hike. If you’re a social person, it might mean brunch, then a street festival with friends, followed by dinner with your besties. Introvert-types might want to stay at home all day and not talk to one single person! ( <- #me)
Once you’ve decided what your planned Do-Nothing day will look like, it is time to schedule it in.
If you want your day to involve outdoor activities, make sure to schedule it on a day that the weather will cooperate. Also, if you want nothing more than a whole day to spend reading, rainy or snowy weather is perfect.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that you plan out each minute of your Do-Nothing day…that would defeat the entire purpose. But I do recommend arranging for the following things ahead of time:
This is your day. You’re off-duty. You’re free to say no to invites and free to accept them if you’d like. Just remember that you’re allowed to have a day off now and then.
If your Do-Nothing day involves baking, cooking, eating, or crafting, make sure you have the supplies on hand. Nothing ruins the vibe more than having to unexpectedly run to the store in the middle of doing nothing (especially if you want to spend the whole day in pajamas!)
Ever have one of those days where you just…can’t…? Of course, you have; we all have! I had one this week. Our dog woke me up multiple times during the night – she’s a senior and, well, senior-dog stuff. I was called into work just as I sat down to drink my morning coffee. My morning shower was rushed. Before the day even got started, I just couldn’t get my feet under me. So I did what I absolutely HAD to, let the rest go, and went for a nice long drive to look at the fall leaves. Then I came home and just watched movies on the couch. The dishes didn’t get done. The things I planned to get done but weren’t a high priority were delayed.
And do you know what happened? Nothing. Everything was fine. I had to catch up on a couple of things the next day, but it was so much easier after spending the day resetting and relaxing.
An unplanned Do-Nothing day can be a little bit of a wildcard because it’s…well, unplanned. But I also think it’s one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Sure, you can try to push through. But if you’re honest with yourself, are you really being productive? Or just going through the motions? (And, probably setting yourself up to need to fix or redo things later…)
If you can, take the day off work. Use a sick day if needed, or just get any high-priority work done and leave early.
If a day off work isn’t an option for you, mentally plan to spend the rest of your day taking care of yourself. Reschedule anything you need to. Think about having dinner delivered later. Decide if there is anything that you really have to take care of later or if it can wait. (More often than not, most of it can wait.) Just knowing that you have freed yourself from responsibilities AFTER work can help you plow your way through the rest of the day.
Most importantly, allow yourself to take the time you need without feeling guilty about it. Let everything go…for now. Not only will it make you feel better, but when you wake up the following day, you’ll be so much more mentally prepared to take on life again.
Start the day by sleeping in…no alarms, no rush to get moving. Have a simple breakfast and a quick shower, put on some cozy lounge clothes or pajamas. Curl up on the couch for an ENTIRE movie. (You know, without pausing it every 45 minutes to fold the next load of laundry or something.) Then, probably spend a little time with whatever I happen to be crocheting, or maybe just reading a book. If I’m feeling particularly energetic, it might mean a little baking or cleaning out a closet that I’ve been meaning to get to. And finally, snuggling up on the couch in front of the fireplace with my husband.
The truth is, it’s okay to take a day off. We all need to recharge our mental batteries every now and then. The key to having a successful Do-Nothing day is planning it ahead of time. What does your ideal Do-Nothing day look like? Drop a comment below!
We all need this and it is so good to see it in writing!!!
My boyfriend is always telling me it’s ok to take a day to just sit and relax. Somehow it never seems to work out. Lol
It’s hard to wrap your head around at first, the thought of doing nothing. But give it a try!
I love my do nothing days. It really helps me go forward with my goals and just feel good for when I take on a new project. Good post!
I loved my do-nothing day. A few years ago, I had my first do-nothing day, I laid on the couch all day and night to binge-watch “How I met your mother”. I was in one position when my fiance’ left for work and I was in the same position when he came home. It was the most amazing day I have ever had, but I also felt guilty. I got over that quickly. Thank you for sharing, I should do that again soon.
I definitely need to take a ‘do nothing’ day off! The sooner the better! lol — Thanks for a lovely article.
I love this! As a mom of a toddler I would love nothing more than a do nothing day 🙂
I would love a do nothing day! I’d read, do puzzles and take 3 baths! 😆
Sounds lovely!!!
I love this post! Many of my family and friends think I have a “do-nothing day” everyday just because I work from home, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I do a lot of work and I’m even working hard to earn my “do-nothing day”. LOL. Such is life of a work-at-home wife, I guess.
I hear ya! Sometimes I think working from home is harder because of that viewpoint!!!
I am definitely going to plan a do nothing day. Thanks for sharing
OMG! I JUST did this on my birthday this week! Nothing more relaxing than self-care and enjoying snuggling with my furbaby! Best day on earth!
Sounds wonderful!!!
I love this idea! I am going to be scheduling myself a do-nothing day very soon because it is much needed! Thanks for sharing!
I used to do this every Saturday, a kind of Sabbath. I did lots of reading, and whatever I felt like doing. IT was a day in which I did a lot but did not have a particular agenda. I didn’t even get the dishes done if I did not feel like it. I miss it a lot. I refused to let the kids do Saturday activities until two years ago. And my stress levels have gone up since I can no longer find the space in the week to fit in a day like this. (parent, low income, home educate, work from home doing childcare, no time for myself)
Aww, one day you’ll be able to get back to it! I wonder if you could do monthly, instead of weekly with your schedule the way it is now???
I suggest the third Wednesday of August as “DO NOTHING DAY”.
There aren”t any major events happening in August so this could be an ideal time to celebrate this much needed/appreciated day.
Lets start it off this coming August, mark your calander.
This is the first time I’ve heard anyone other than myself use the term “do nothing day”! Monday’s are my weekly Do Nothing Day. I picked Monday because in my former life, I, like so many others out there, dreaded Mondays. I used to start feeling sad and anxious on Sunday afternoon! I realize that for most a weekly do nothing day isn’t possible. It wasn’t for me for a long, long time. Now that it is, I take full advantage. I don’t schedule appointments, take meetings, or make obligations on a Monday. Now, instead of dreading Mondays, it’s my favorite day of the week!
Love that! That’s a great way to start the week out, nice and slow. I don’t take a do nothing day every week, but I have definitely learn how to do it when I need it! ♥