Finding the Time to Do Nothing is Harder than You Think

I've spent the last few weeks doing errands I usually do on the weekends when I'm working. Now, all of a sudden I'm doing them (and more) during the week and can't seem to find time the time to sit down and do nothing. And still on weekends, I'm going-going-going. In between errands, I've been writing for a friend's website, and corresponding with colleagues and doing my usual reading and research. This morning, I woke up with a thought: I need a vacation from my vacation. I need time to sit and do nothing. Problem is, I'm not sure I know how to do that. Maybe it's because when my sisters and I were young and made the mistake of telling our mother that we were "bored", she made us sit for hours embroidering pillowcases with our initials. Boy, did we learn our lesson.

What about the next generation? Do they know how to do nothing? Kids today are overscheduled year round. I don't think we taught them how to sit and be comfortable doing nothing. And, since old habits die hard, when my kids tell me they are bored (because they have nothing to do), I threaten them with "don't tell me that or I'll make you embroider pillowcases".

Doing nothing is crucial to brain-cell regeneration. And stress relief. Maybe it's not too late for me to learn.