So, let’s begin by repeating the question.

Doing nothing for your mental health?

If you answered yes, and, if by ‘nothing’ you meant you are sitting it out and literally being out-of-action, you just might have taken the first step to give a much needed breather for your mental health. For, ‘doing nothing’ has been found to be an easy antidote for everyday mental strains. 

So, take a break this ‘World Mental Health Day’ to reflect on your wellbeing and renew or alter your perspective on health, as we take recourse to a recent study to illustrate the ‘nothing’ route to stay mentally healthy.

According to the study, published by the ‘Journal of Experimental Psychology: General’, the trigger to initiate the process of wellbeing is doing absolutely nothing with the time on your hands. The idea is to be free of all distractions, including your Smartphone, your laptop and your television.

Boring, you say?

That’s what the respondents in the study felt too. They classified ‘just thinking’ or ‘simply waiting’ for 20 minutes or more – without any option to read, walk, scroll through mobile, chat or watch television – as a dull and tedious activity. Researchers conducted six experiments to find out how much people ‘thought’ they would enjoy (or not enjoy) just sitting and thinking and also how much they actually ‘reported’ to, following the session. Each experiment was varied; in that, respondents were given different sitting protocols – sitting in an empty room, in a dark tent with no visual stimulation, altering the time frame for sitting, etc.

And the results of all six experiments were unanimous: sitting by yourself isn’t as dull or boring as you might think it is. The thought of that alone time – in literal sense – might seem queasy, but making physical and mental space, away from all things distractive has the potential to help you unplug from the routine to-do lists and the constant triggers from social media – that burgeoning fear of missing out on something important for your social life. This then translates as a soother for your immediate mental peace, even happiness.

There are, of course, deterrents to every study, and this too might seem like an everyday task without obvious benefits, but if done mindfully, the results may just make it worthwhile in the long run. This is not to say that all thoughts during that solitary time would be deep and endurable, as negative thoughts have a way of creeping in, especially if you have fallen into such pattern; but, the very idea of doing nothing has a meditative feel to it. One that could help you channelize your thoughts better; leading to creative thinking and even enhanced problem-solving abilities. When thoughts flow uncharted, you might find clarity to issues that you never knew existed.

How do you go about chalking that idle time?

Of course, thinking happens all the time, whether you are consciously following a sit-down-and-do-nothing schedule or indulging in an activity. The idea is to designate a ‘doing nothing’ time in your roster and following it through each day until you begin to experience little joys that come from letting go of everything. 

Some tips to get started:

• Set a time during the day or after regular work for your ‘nothing’ time
• Begin with five minutes, before progressing on to more ‘nothing’ time
• Calm those ‘doing nothing’ jitters with deep breaths before the session
• Whether you sit or walk during this time, do not attempt to do any tasks in the process
• Utilize your senses to find your comfort level – it could be a random sound, a regular sight or a touch of your everyday items – and note your observations
• Appreciate the time you have taken out for yourself 
• Doing nothing is not equivalent to being non-productive, it is a time invested in your wellbeing, so, go on

Sounds difficult?

Doing nothing can be the most difficult task if you suffer from anxiety; but there is a way to get there. Find out what suits you and incorporate it into your everyday routine. 

Let go; practice the art of doing nothing

(The theme for this year’s ‘World Mental Health Day’ is to ‘Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’)

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 Mental health guidelines from the Ministry of Health

• Stay away from unhealthy social relationships that hurt you
• Eat healthy meals rich in vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates and proteins
• View yourself positively, with acceptance and respect for yourself
• Practice meditation, it has a big role in getting rid of depression and anxiety
• Indulge in activities that are fun and calming

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World Mental Health Day 2022

Make mental health and well-being for all a global priority

The World Health Organisation is working with partners to launch the 2022 campaign around the theme of ‘Making Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority’. This will be an opportunity for people with mental health conditions, advocates, governments, employers, employees and other stakeholders to come together to recognize progress in this field and to be vocal about what we need to do to ensure mental health and well-being becomes a global priority for all, states WHO. 

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Mental Health Facts 

• 15% of working-age adults were estimated to have a mental disorder in 2019 
• 1 in every 8 people in the world live with a mental disorder
• Around 1 in 7 of the world’s adolescents has a mental disorder
• Depression is a common mental disorder; globally, 5% of adults are estimated to suffer from depression 
• Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in individuals aged 15-29 years – suicide accounts for 1 in 100 deaths globally
• People with severe mental disorders die 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population
• The global economy loses about US$ 1 trillion per year in productivity due to depression and anxiety.