Lazy Days: ‘Dolce far Niente’ – The art of doing nothing
At the start of a new year, it’s easy to jump in head first with all guns blazing and wind up burning yourself out after a few weeks of healthy eating, gym memberships, keeping up with weekly commitments, work and maintaining a dynamic social life. While staying healthy, exercising and being an active member of society is of course incredibly important, we believe that there’s a time and place in everyone’s hectic schedule for a little, well, nothing! There’s a phrase in Italian, ‘Dolce far Niente’, that literally translates to the sweetness of doing nothing, and we are all for it.
We believe that some quality sofa time is time well spent, whether it’s with family, friends or solo. You’ll be surprised what your mind can conjure when you sit quietly and just listen to your thoughts. You may discover you’re searching for a career change, decide to take that trip you’ve always wanted or allow your creative juices to flow and come up with your next project. Make your living room and sofa set-up an enticing atmosphere, with soft lighting, blankets and plenty of cushions, and you’ll find taking some time out to do nothing will start to become second nature. If you need a little nudge or for some practical ways to enjoy doing nothing, here are some ways to get you started.
Old-fashioned fun
Entertaining yourselves the old-fashioned way, playing games like Charades and Pictionary are great ways of just being together. Spending time together without screens, or outside noises is a fantastic way to reconnect as a family and can be done from the comfort of your sofa.
Mindfulness
Undertaking mindfulness practices helps to ground you in the moment, allowing you some much-needed time to be with your thoughts and feelings. We’re often overwhelmed by the pressures and expectations of daily life and routines, so taking time out to bring ourselves back to centre and remind ourselves of the bigger picture is an incredibly important activity. If you find sitting with your thoughts a difficult or daunting prospect, you may find doing some gentle yoga will help you focus on your breathing and body.
Read more about Mindfulness from the NHS
Use your technology for good
Voted the best app of 2017 by Apple, the Calm app is the number one app for mindfulness and meditation made easy. The guided meditations, music, stories, and body programmes are all designed to help you sleep better and alleviate stress and anxiety.
For more advice on improving your wellbeing, read the 5 steps to mental wellbeing from the NHS.