The Art of Doing Nothing

You have permission to nap more often. This is the mantra of SARK, an author who has made napping into an art form.

I interviewed her once when she was planning an appearance in Minnesota. She said that she pays close attention to her body rhythms. When she feels like working, she works. When she needs rest, she rests. That could mean working at 2 a.m. and going back to bed at 10 a.m.

When was the last time you had a nap? I used to think that napping was for other people. It seemed like such a waste of time. I had a job, two children, a husband, a house. Who could think of napping?

I didn't even nap when my children were infants. That was my productive time to work on the computer or clean up the kitchen from breakfast and lunch. Even as I read or rocked my babies, my mind was often thinking of my to-do list.

Now my babies are 6 and 3. I miss the rocking.

Take it from a multi-tasking overachiever. The art of doing nothing is well worth learning. New research is proving that multi-tasking is actually less productive than focusing on one chore at a time. When we multi-task, our brains still need to pause and re-focus, which leads to those times when we stop in the middle of a room and wonder what we're doing there.

Patience requires us to slow down, to be mindful of the situation before responding. It also allows our brains to move from beta "fight or flight" mode to soothing alpha waves. When we sit down for dinner. When we read a book to our children. When we take a bath instead of a shower, without worrying about what isn't getting done, we allow our bodies and minds to regroup. Alpha brainwaves are associated with higher learning. When we slow down to handle a task or to parent our children, we have a better chance of avoiding the same mistakes.

We are also happier. Too much time in beta makes us feel stressed, frazzled, even insane.

If you are used to handling it all in your house, learning to do nothing will feel very uncomfortable...at first. It will also take some cooperation from your family members. They will think you are sick if you suddenly sit down to read or take a nap. You will need to explain to them that you need some quiet time. Tell them that they are free to join you as long as they are also quiet.

Lately, my husband and I have taken turns having naps on Sunday afternoons. He handles the needs of the kids and the dog while I enjoy the delicious luxury of crawling back to my bed and reading until I doze off. If you are a single parent, I suggest swapping kids with a friend to allow each of you the luxury of doing nothing. It will feel like a waste of time at first, but as you get into the habit you find that you are more productive and refreshed than you have felt in a long time.

Don't you deserve one or two hours a week of sanity time? Yes. Yes. Yes!

Allow yourself this time. It costs nothing. But the costs to your health and happiness without it are too high.

La dolce vida, my friends.