Go on, humour me and just try sitting there doing nothing for 5 minutes.

Please.

How did you get on? I would imagine there will have been a number of reactions: 

• Don’t bother to do nothing
• Start and give up after a minute
  
• Do nothing with one eye on the Internet
  
• Do nothing successfully for 5 minutes
  
• Do nothing for 10 minutes
  

It was such great weather at the weekend – yes even in Scotland – so I sat in the garden chatting with a friend. We must have been there for 4 hours. During that time I never managed more than 20 minutes in the chair at any time. I fidgeted for the whole time – I moved my chair, went to get a drink or wandered around the garden. My friend on the other hand was in her chair for the duration. In fact 4 hours relaxing was a record for me and that was only possible because that took place after a holiday of 2 weeks.

I would still suggest my friend was in cruise control and I was in 1st gear! I wouldn’t dream of running my car in 1st all day so why do I think I can do that to myself?

I can hear some people saying they don’t need to do nothing and anyway it’s such a waste of time. I met someone last year who worked 60 hours a week and then relaxed by being on so many committees and in what time he had left was on the golf club!! Wired wasn’t the word for him!

Quiet time doing nothing daily helps our mind, body and soul in so many ways. Just try it daily for a week and notice the positive impact.