I was recently asked this question and here is my response:
Step back and ask: How can someone “do nothing”?
That is to separate yourself from the breathing, thinking and general living.
- Is that nothing?
- Is that not you?
- Indeed, who then is the “You” that is doing this nothing?
The key point is that regardless of whether or not you actively do something, life goes on.
You breathe, you think, you live.
From that perspective, there is no good or bad use of time.
There is “just” living.
If is only the conscious mind – a small part of the whole – that splits the world in this way.
Your hands and your feet will likely be perfectly happy “doing nothing”.
If you want to reflect further on the human relationship with time, this podcast offers a series of short reflections: The Time Academy Podcast
