The Art of Rotting in Bed

On unlearning the productivity myth, reclaiming lazy days and why doing nothing is essential.

I still remember my high school days when I took 11 subjects, which meant my schedule was always packed. I managed to study on time, created a study schedule and allocated time for each subject. But even though I had rest days where I really had nothing to do, I always felt like something wasn’t right. I’d think “I’m a student, I can’t waste my time. I have to do something, all the time. No nap. If I don’t, then I won’t achieve my dreams.”

I used Google calendar to schedule my week. Even if I didn’t have anything to do, I made sure I scheduled “something” because doing nothing was considered “unproductive.” My counsellors and teachers drilled into us the idea that we had to be productive. Not just during school but for life in general. If I wanted to achieve something, I had to be productive every single day. I shouldn’t waste my time because every minute counted. Well, I was young, so there should be no problem with being productive. Right? And for 6 years, that’s how I lived. I made sure I had no time to do “nothing” because then I’d feel like the laziest person on earth.

But the question is why. Why is that? If something is normalized, I want to know “why.” What’s the reason behind it?

So, why do we have to be productive, especially when we’re young? We’re told we’re too young to be lazing around but here’s the thing. What if I say we all need to spend some time doing nothing. Yeah, you read that right. We need to talk about how crucial this “nothing” time is.

The thing is, we’re not meant to live the life we’re living right now. Money, jobs, capitalism, wealth, success and etc. We’re not meant to lead this kind of life. We’re part of the genus Homo, just like other apes. Our ancestors happily lived in groups, just surviving. Their routine was just waking up, gathering food, and reproducing. But also, if we were to go back and live like that, we just won't survive because we are so different from them.

Nowadays, Productivity has become a crucial term in our daily lives if we want to be considered decent humans. Everyone is expected to be productive to fulfill their “goals.” But I don’t think that’s the case. I don’t believe you have to “work hard” every day to get what you want. “Working hard” often means sacrificing the things you want to do, like lazing around. In my dictionary, “lazing around” means doing nothing—just “rotting in bed.” I don’t take nap or even use my phone. I simply do “nothing.”

But, I used to feel so guilty doing that when I was in high school. Even when I’d finished all my homework, revision and other routines, if I still had free time i’d force myself to do something because doing “nothing” was just bad. Especially for someone young and a student, it was considered a sin.

So, back to our topic. I’m going to tell you how “doing nothing” is just as crucial as anything else. Think about it. When you’re occupied with something, you’re distracted. None of us have any time or means to ponder. We’re all stuck in this “hustle culture,” trying to achieve something, become successful and etc. But when we actually stop to “think,” which only happens when you do nothing, you’ll realize so many things.

Think about EVERYTHING—not just yourself but really think. Stare at a wall. Think about how it was made, who made it, where the person is right now, how old the sand used to create the wall is. Or if you notice a scribble on the wall, think about the memories of the person who did it. Or just think about your body, not just the external parts but your internal organs. Are you taking care of them as much as you take care of your appearance for the sake of aesthetics or fitting into a beauty standard? Are you being kind and gentle to them? Or just put your palm on your heart and think about how magnificent it is that a tiny organ in your chest is beating for you, pumping blood in and out, keeping you alive. I know this may sound odd but we all need this “nothing” time once in a while, every day if possible.

Also, saying we have to train our brain by practicing something while ignoring the need to let it actually work is tone deaf. It’s not just about a specific topic. You have to put your brain to work, thinking about EVERYTHING. I can’t emphasize enough how having this “nothing time” made me hyperaware of so many things. I simply let my mind wander. I notice something and ask myself more and more questions about it. This has benefited me in so many ways in my life. I feel like a chosen one because when I ask a question or simply share my point of view to others, 99.9% of people look at me like I need an exorcism. I’m not even exaggerating, I’m just saying how it is. By the end of high school, I started having this “nothing time” where I just rotted in bed doing literally nothing daily. Mind you, I was still packed with loads of subjects to revise, yet I was the top student of the year. And during my pre university, I was yet again the top student of the batch.

But this is not only for students but everyone. We have to train our brains to not put in so much work and focus on school and still get good grades. We have to train it to think about every single thing, even the mundane ones, so our brain is always hyperaware and get used to think deeply.

But yeah, we are running so fast (working hard) towards something we’ve made up (goals), keeping our minds on the surface. Most of us don’t actually think. And when we do, it’s mostly about our personal conflicts, which is inevitable. But when you really think about it, many of these personal conflicts are things we constructed like most of the health issues, financial issues, patriarchy and etc.

I don’t mean to say doing nothing is crucial while you’re still using your phone. You have to be really attentive to your thoughts. That’s the point. You, being not distracted.

Now, about the productivity cult. I used to watch a lot of productivity-niched Youtubers, read many books on it and look it up on google. It’s a good skill to have in today’s world because like it or not, we have no choice but to keep up with others even if we don’t want to. But it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth when terms like “unproductive,” “bed rot,” “touch some grass,” “lazy,” or “do something useful” are thrown around, as if they’re the biggest sins. When you’re done with whatever you need to do, if you simply don’t want to do anything, go for it. You don’t have to pack your daily routine. If you have free time, then do “nothing.”

In a world obsessed with productivity, it’s easy to forget the value of doing nothing. But it’s in those moments of “nothing” that our minds have the space to wander, to ponder and to truly think. So next time you find yourself with nothing to do, resist the urge to fill that time with “busyness.” Instead, embrace it and let your mind roam free.