Do Nothing in 2026!

     01/01 is the numeric equivalent of a refresh button and inspires resolutions, vision boards and new goals. I enjoy this refresh because I love setting goals, making to-do lists and tracking accomplishments. This attribute is a strength of mine, but also hinders creativity. In addition to my to do list interfering with writing, there’s the siren call of digital distractions. It starts with picking up the phone to see if anyone texted, which leads to opening email, then checking the weather and then the news for the latest debacle. Any creative flow I have becomes damed. 
     That’s why my goal for 2026 is to do nothing and be bored more often. By nothing, I don’t mean meditation, where we’re focused on labeling distracting thoughts and returning to a focus. I mean NOT engaging in a goal directed activity and allowing our minds to wander freely. It doesn’t have to be absolutely nothing, but something repetitive like gardening, a quiet walk, watching the birds, or staring into a fire or at the water. 
     Research supports the benefits of doing nothing. When our brain is not actively focused on a goal, the default mode network (DMN) activates. This network is composed of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and the cingulate cortex. When turned on, the DMN:

• Increases self awareness and reflection
• Improves working memory
• Consolidates what we’ve learned from prior experiences 
• Cultivates compassion for others
• Helps us plan for the future
• Increases creativity and the generation of new ideas. 

   Often the DMN presents us with the answer to an unresolved question or provides a new perspective that wasn’t available with focused, conscious thinking. You may be familiar with this if you’ve ever had a great idea in the shower. 
     I have the privilege of watching the magic of the DMN at work in my counseling practice. With a new client I share my belief that they have the answers for their lives within, and counseling creates a distraction free space to tap into that inner wisdom. When I ask a question and the client doesn’t immediately respond, I’ve learned to hold that space, and be quiet, something I wasn’t comfortable doing as a novice counselor. The client stares off into space while I wait. Usually within a minute, they look back at me and say, “maybe I’m feeling this way because of…..” or “I’ve never thought of it this way but…”  If they didn’t have the courage to come to counseling, and I wasn’t comfortable with silence, the DMN would not have been activated, and it would be more challenging for this client to self reflect and identify the source of their feelings. 
    Despite the benefits, we often resist being bored and turning on the DMN because it feels uncomfortable. This discomfort is partially because we’re out of practice with boredom and deciding how to fill free time, and partially because self reflection, activated by the DMN, brings up challenging issues we may be avoiding, as well as existential topics we’re not prepared to deal with, like our purpose in life, or our inner longings. Within a few inches there’s a device to distract us with a YouTube video, pod cast or news update so we don’t have to think about these things. BUT, how can we have a life of meaning, creativity, and connection, to ourself and others, if we don’t learn to befriend boredom and create pockets of time that aren’t focused on a goal oriented activity? Whether you want to create art, explore your life purpose, identify solutions to current challenges, or make plans to manifest your ideal future, activating the DMN will help you.
     Have I convinced you to join me in doing nothing in 2026?  If so, here are some simple ways to integrate more “nothing time” into your day.

• When you’re doing routine tasks around your home like cooking, cleaning, or yard work, do so in the quiet with no podcasts or audio books in the background. Research has shown that music does not interfere with activating the DMN, so feel free to add that if its something you enjoy. 
• Go for a walk or run in a familiar area without listening to anything, and let your thoughts wander. Not all sports are conducive for this. When I paddle board or cycle I find myself very focused on what my body is doing so I don’t fall into the water or off the bike, so there’s less time for meandering thoughts with these type of activities.
• Create a morning or evening ritual with a few minutes of nothing time. Have your first cup of coffee watching dawn break or listening to the birds. End your day watching a candle flicker or listening to quiet music. Again, unlike meditation, the point is not to label your errant thoughts and bring them back to the colors of dawn or candle light, the goal here is to let your thoughts wander freely. 
• Engage in stream of consciousness journaling, which is basically writing down your wandering thoughts. Set a timer and write without letting the pen come off the paper, and see what happens. Similar to what occurs in my counseling office, this type of journaling can present you with insights that aren’t readily available in a stimulating environment. This is something I employ when I have writer’s block and need inspiration for the next scene.
• If your day requires extended time on the computer, schedule 5 to 10 minute breaks to reset. Simply look out the window, close your eyes, or go for a short walk to turn on your DMN. This allows you to return to your work with more focus and creativity, whereas scrolling the news or social media keeps the brain stimulated, as if you were still working. 

     Hopefully you’re already thinking of specific ways to integrate “nothing time” into your life. This is a no cost New Year’s goal that simply requires a few minutes of time, and the intention to NOT fill it with screens or a complex, task oriented activity. To enhance my creativity I commit to adding more “nothing time” by avoiding news and social media at breakfast the mornings I write. I’ll enter my writing room without my phone, and disconnect from WIFI so I’m not distracted by new emails or other notifications, and to satisfy my love of to-do lists, NOTHING, will be at the top of my list on days I want to tap into my creativity.     
     I’d love to hear from you! Please share in the comments ways you’ll do nothing and be bored in 2026 :)
“When you trust in rest, you trust in your own creative depths. When you allow boredom, you invite the unexpected. And when you protect spaciousness, you give your imagination the conditions it needs to thrive.” from Create Me Free Substack blog by Kathryn Vercillo. 

Moonpie has perfected watching the birds and letting her mind wander.

*If you have PTSD, depression or anxiety, your default mode network may be hyper-connected resulting in self criticism, over thinking and intrusive thoughts. If this is the case, I recommend addressing this with a counselor or psychiatrist, and adding meditation to your daily routine which helps quiet an overactive default mode network*