The Guilt Of Doing Nothing -by Taha Tariq

 You finally get a day to yourself. No deadlines, no assignments, no obligations breathing down your neck. You should feel calm. Instead, there’s a pit in your stomach. You start thinking you’re wasting time. You’re being lazy. That you should be doing something productive - studying, planning, checking off to do lists. That creeping feeling? That’s guilt. But not the kind that comes from doing something wrong - it’s basically the guilt of doing nothing.

Our culture treats rest like it’s a luxury instead of a necessity. We’re constantly told that “grind mode” is the only path to success. If you're not working every second, someone else is - and they're getting way ahead of you. And Social media only makes it worse. Everyone seems to be building something, improving themselves or posting about their hustle. So when you pause, even for a few hours, it feels like you’re falling behind. But the reality is that you’re not.

This guilt you’re feeling isn’t really yours. It’s learned. It comes from something called productivity shame - a belief that your value is tied to how much you accomplish. Researcher Devon Price talks about this in Laziness Does Not Exist. He explains that our self worth gets tangled up in constant achievement, and rest begins to feel like failure (Price). It's like we’re trying to earn our right to exist by checking off boxes and constantly working.

But here’s what most people don’t realize: doing nothing is actually super essential for the human body. Your brain doesn’t go dark when you rest. That’s when it recovers. During quiet moments, your mind is actively processing emotions, solving problems subconsciously, and recovering from overstimulation. Rest fuels creativity. It reboots motivation. It makes space for clarity. It definitely should not be considered as a waste of time as it is the foundation for better mental health.

Still, that guilt is stubborn. You might be laying on the couch and thinking about all the things you could be doing instead. Or scrolling your phone but silently judging yourself for not being “better.” It can feel endless. But it’s a mindset that can be unlearned. The first step is reminding yourself that rest isn’t weakness. It’s not the opposite of progress - it’s a part of making real progress.

Start giving yourself permission to slow down. Even just saying, “I’m allowed to rest today,” is a powerful act of resistance against a culture that worships productivity at all costs. You are not lazy for pausing. You are not wasting time by existing without an agenda. You're human and humans need to breathe, mentally and physically.

Next time the guilt creeps in, ask yourself: would I say this to a friend? Would I tell someone else they’re lazy for taking care of themselves? Probably not. So extend that same kindness inward. Your worth isn’t measured in results and outputs. Sometimes doing nothing is the most important thing you can do for yourself.

Works Cited
Price, Devon. Laziness Does Not Exist. Atria Books, 2021.