When there’s nothing to do

There are moments when there is nothing we need to do.

We might be sitting at home, waiting for someone, standing in a queue or simply have a few minutes between things. Yet almost without thinking, we reach for our phone.

I’m curious about what happens when we no longer feel comfortable with having nothing to do.

When we fill the space

We are used to having something available.

We can check our messages, scroll through the news, watch a video, listen to something or find out what is happening somewhere else. A quiet moment doesn't have to stay quiet for long. We can fill it almost immediately.

When nothing feels like something

Sometimes having nothing to do can feel strangely uncomfortable.

We might feel bored. Restless. Impatient. We might start looking for something to occupy us without really asking whether we need to be occupied.

The phone is often the easiest answer.

What happens when we don't fill it?

If we leave the moment alone, something else might happen.

We might notice what we can hear. Look out the window. Think about something. Notice how we are feeling. Or perhaps nothing happens at all.

Maybe that's okay too.

When our attention has space

Our attention is so often being asked to go somewhere.

There is always something to read, watch, answer or think about. When there is nothing to do, perhaps we get a chance to notice what our attention does when nothing is asking for it.

It might drift. It might settle. It might find something we hadn't noticed before.

Nothing to do

We don't have to stop ourselves from reaching for our phones.

There are plenty of good reasons to use those quiet moments. Yet sometimes we can leave a little space for nothing.

We might sit for a moment without filling it. Look around. See what is already there.

I wonder what you might notice the next time there is nothing to do, and you decide not to reach for something straight away.