To Do Nothing or Have Nothing to Do, That is the Question
Is “doing nothing” a good use of your time? When I was ten, I used to dream of a life that went like this—unencumbered wealth, a beautiful family, and all the free time in the world to spend lying down in a king-sized bed made of the world’s finest plumage. Yet, as I’ve gotten older—and with that, experienced tens of spring, summer, autumn, and winter breaks—I’ve realized an epiphany. Laying idle in bed all day—perusing the infinite annals of Instagram reels and eating chocolate-covered blueberries from Kirkland—does not lead to a fulfilling life. Instead, I would see my mental and physical state degrade substantially during these periods, with weight gained, the want to be productive lost, and the remnants of my attention span mauled. Indeed, it was those moments generally would be perceived as difficult—long work days, grueling school hours, afternoons and evenings filled with swim practices, piano lessons, and mathematics courses—in which, in retrospect, felt the most fulfilling....