During a recent Yumbini tasting, a woman enthusiastically said: “this is so easy, it is the perfect food for the art of doing nothing!” I can’t agree more! And I think the perfect food for doing nothing, may be able to help you with the art of doing nothing too!
But first, what is the art of doing nothing? It is exactly that. Allowing yourself a few minutes (or hours or days) to do absolutely nothing. The Dutch even have a word for it. It’s called Niksen.
In our fast paced, media-intensive world, I find doing nothing very difficult! It means no phone, no television, no laptop, not eating or drinking, not exercising, but not sleeping either, just doing nothing, and letting your mind wander. Can you imagine it? Could you try it for 5 minutes?
But doing nothing is not nothing. It is actually a form of rest, allowing your body and mind to relax. And it turns out that doing nothing is good for you! According to this article in Psychology Today, doing nothing allows us to:
• Reset and reenergize, reducing stress and promoting calmness
• Process emotions
• Foster creativity, inspiration and problem solving
• Improve focus and presence, making us more productive afterwards
It may also make you happier! The Dutch, who practice Niksen, are among the happiest people on earth.
Bill Gates is reportedly a big believer in purposely doing nothing. This article describes how he blocks out entire “think weeks” for “profound reflection and creative thinking”. Some of Microsoft’s important breakthroughs were the result of his “think weeks”.
But how, really, can you do nothing? Start small. Try looking out the window for 5 minutes. You don’t need to focus on your breathing or clear your mind, just let it drift. Just rest, relax. Don’t worry if you feel a little bored. Out of boredom comes inspiration and new ideas! (I think this is true for bored kids too!)
For your doing nothing time, some people recommend locking your phone in a drawer. I like to go outdoors and leave my phone (and laptop) in the house.
If total abandonment is too much for you, try doing “as close to nothing as possible” as described in this video. Listen to music, walk, or do some kind of art (imagine how peaceful it will be with no phone!) You can also savor food or a beverage.
That’s where Yumbini, perfect food for doing nothing, comes in! It has doing nothing built right into it! Especially if you use a microwave. Once you combine Yumbini with water and pop it in the microwave, you have at least 2-3 minutes for serious mind wandering. Add three minutes of cooling and soaking time, and you are already up to 6 minutes of calming, mind-resting, doing nothing!
Next, sit (or lie) down in a comfortable place and do nothing except appreciate and enjoy the great flavor and comforting texture of Yumbini. By the time you get to the bottom of the bowl, I hope you are feeling comfortably full and mentally refreshed!
Since writing this article, I have become more aware of building a little “nothing” time into my day. I find I am more enthusiastic about doing what I need to do after a little mental break. But if you, like me, worry you might enjoy doing nothing a little TOO much, set a timer!
And if all that doing nothing makes you hungry, Yumbini, the perfect food for doing nothing, is ready for you!
