I read a fascinating article on leisure from the Atlantic. It covered how we’ve tuned our brains to stimulation & hustle… to our detriment.

In fact, people are so uncomfortable with stillness that it was studied. “In a 2014 study, researchers left people in a room alone for six to 15 minutes with nothing to do and found that the participants turned to almost any available activity, including administering painful electric shocks (!) to themselves.”

I struggle with this—usually reaching for my phone for idle time. There were a few points the author made to help:

1. Start small — Sit peacefully for 5 minutes in a pleasant place, letting your mind wander.

2. Go unstructured — Leave room for “white” spaces on a trip. Keep time open to explore without a plan or schedule.

3. Soft fascination — Choose activities that gently hold attention — such as wave watching or nature walking. These are more restorative than a traditional leisure activity like TV or reading.

How do you embrace the art of doing nothing?