top of page

Sapling MINDS

The Importance of Doing Nothing For Improving Mental Health


There is a great deal of research that has been done into the importance of doing nothing, and the improved mental health and creativity this fosters. Unfortunately, this is contrary to today’s fast-paced culture where being busy is worn as a badge of honour and as a signal of productivity and success.


While there is increasing awareness of the importance of self-care and mindfulness in society, the cultural norms and expectations around constant activity still presents challenges for embracing moments of doing nothing for the sake of wellbeing, creativity, and balance.


Why is this an important learning for children?


To truly set your child up for success, it is important to teach them how to do nothing in order to amplify their resiliency.


Learning how to do nothing is an essential skill for children, as it provides a much-needed break from constant stimulation and activity. In today's fast-paced world, children often face a barrage of structured activities and digital distractions, leaving little room for downtime.


Embracing moments of doing nothing allows their minds to rest, reducing stress and anxiety, and promoting overall mental health.


Additionally, unstructured time fosters creativity and imagination, as children are free to daydream, explore their thoughts, and develop their own ideas. This mental freedom encourages innovative thinking and problem-solving skills, laying the groundwork for a healthy, balanced, and creative mindset.


What impact are digital distractions having on children?


Our deep connections with, and reliance on, electronic devices can dramatically increase our ability to be productive. However, to remain focused, the relationship with those screens needs to be reframed to provide the human mind with the attentional capacity it needs for processing effectively.


In today’s technology-linked community, we are at risk of information overload. Dr Sue Smalley says “It’s not surprising that rates of depression, anxiety, and stress are increasing as the doingness of life seems to have little counterbalance”.


If there are so many benefits, why don’t we value the art of doing nothing?


Doing nothing is something typically associated with being irresponsible or wasting time, and there’s a bias in our system saying that we should feel guilty if we aren’t doing something all the time. This can degrade your child’s sense of self and their quality of life.


Given these societal expectations, it can be challenging to do nothing, however, by embracing and valuing doing nothing, it can be a prelude to something of significant benefit. This time spent doing nothing fosters creativity and triggers innovation.


How do we embrace doing nothing to improve mental health?


This time spent doing nothing is a valuable opportunity for stimulating unconscious thought processes. You may have even experienced this yourself. Have ever noticed that you get your best ideas while having a shower or brushing your teeth? Performing this routine activity provides the opportunity for your brain to stimulate unconscious thought.


Dr Gloria Mark suggests one of the ways that we can keep our focus replenished is to change the approach from scheduling tasks to designing a day. Dr Mark talks about designing our day to incorporate unstructured time to support improved productivity – for your child this could be time spent playing soccer, dancing, singing, reading a novel, baking, or exploring photography.


This intentional time undertaking simple activities keeps the mind lightly engaged, whilst freeing up capacity to allow ideas to incubate in the back of the mind. It’s important to be strategic with this empty time and bring self-awareness about when that feeling of replenishment is achieved (a timer can assist if needed).


Conclusion


Teaching children the importance of doing nothing is crucial for their mental health and overall wellbeing. In an era of constant activity and digital stimulation, allowing time for unstructured relaxation helps reduce stress and prevent burnout.


Moments of doing nothing provide children with the opportunity to pause, recharge, and engage in introspection, which can significantly enhance emotional resilience and mental clarity. This practice also nurtures creativity, as unstructured time encourages free-thinking and imaginative exploration.


By teaching children to value and embrace downtime, parents help them develop a balanced approach to life that fosters better mental health, boosts creativity, and supports overall wellbeing.



bottom of page