What to Do When You Feel Like Doing Nothing

By: Alena You

As human beings, we are not always in a state of hustling and bustling. Sometimes, we just get tired. Have you ever had those moments where you just have no energy or motivation to do anything? Here is what you should do when that occurs.

The Opposite of Being Productive

When you feel this way, sometimes the best thing to do is the opposite of being productive. These are moments when you need to be more gentle on yourself and take a breather. If you just do more, you will end up feeling more burnt out and that can be even more detrimental to your state of mind. It is good to give yourself grace and allow yourself to be in the state. You can take a walk outside, do yoga, or do something that rejuvenates your energy to a normal state. My favorite thing to do is to sit in a park, close my eyes, and meditate. When you are burnt out especially, your decision-making abilities probably will have declined. Allowing yourself to be in a state of doing nothing and removing the pressure off of yourself can help you avoid rash decision-making and avoid small mistakes. It is important to let yourself rest.

Remind Yourself to Love Yourself

Sometimes the reason that you do not want to do anything could be because you are too hard on yourself. Whatever it is that made us lose our confidence, it is important to gain it back. Constantly reminding yourself that you are capable, accepting the situation that you are in right now, and leaning onto your support system can be helpful in these situations. Do what you need to give yourself love.

Shift Your Direction

Another reason where we can feel like doing nothing is when we do not see results after a long time, such as studying long hours for a test just to barely pass or not seeing the physical results after working out for a long time. Sometimes, all it takes is a redirection of your strategy, refining your method, and understanding that where you are is where you are supposed to be for a reason.

Conclusion

Feeling like doing nothing can occur because of high expectations, feeling burnt out, and/or putting off something you wanted to do for a long time. When what we do not go as planned, sometimes we lose a sense of our own control and we start feeling like doing nothing. Because of this, we have to give ourselves grace, regain our confidence back within ourselves, and shift our direction or strategy if what we are doing is not working. It is important to allow ourselves to be.