The Subtle Art of Doing Nothing

“To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy” – Hippocrates

By Lheyaa Mathivanan

Photograph by Emma Almaraz

Most days in Boston feel like a sprint. You wake up, rush to class, speed-walk across campus with a coffee that’s still too hot, answer emails between lectures. And yet, somehow you also squeeze in studying, clubs and maybe dinner with friends—if you’re lucky. Even your breaks start to feel like tasks on a checklist. In a city where ambition is the driving force, leisure can start to suspiciously feel like work. 

But here’s a radical idea my overworked college brain has slowly fallen in love with: doing absolutely nothing. 

And no, I don’t mean scrolling, half-napping or mentally planning your to-do list. I mean sitting still, all by yourself, with just your thoughts to surrender to. 

Sounds counterproductive right? Wrong!

According to the National Library of Medicine, “The Default Mode Network (DMN) is a brain network that becomes active when the brain is at rest. It is crucial for processes like self-reflection, emotional processing, social interaction, and mental exploration.”

This activated brain region lets you observe, think and internalize what’s happening around you. It’s your body’s way of telling you to take a step back for a moment and bounce back stronger. 

Inactivity is how your brain breathes.

Psychologists call it “strategic renewal.” Short pockets of true rest can boost your creativity and clarity. Boredom, as uncomfortable as it is, can act like a doorway. It fuels endless imagination and novelty. It’s why your best ideas appear in the shower or on a long walk.

Doing nothing is also one of the most flexible responses to burnout. Instead of forcing yourself to “push through,” sometimes the kindest and smartest thing you can do to yourself is pause. Tend to yourself, take a digital sabbath and simply sit with your thoughts until the fog lifts.

Society has wired us to run relentlessly. We don’t want to risk being seen as lazy or unproductive.

But, the next time you resist being idle, think of it this way: you might just be ten minutes away from a mind-blowing design idea, a surprising burst of clarity or even the seed of your next disruptive startup. Doing nothing might end up being the most productive thing you did all day!