It's finally over, but at what cost?
Who doesn't relate to how stressful the school year was? Loads of assignments (hopefully none missing), an impossible number of midterms lined up and, of course, many, many moments of complete burnout.
Now that school's out, I'm no stranger to the experience of being unable to get up once I've hit the couch, and those 16-hour "naps".
But … there might be something worse than having deadlines to meet and textbooks to study. Something even more ominous than staying up past midnight trying to cram every bit of information you think your professor might have said - and that's having nothing to do at all .
A new normal (that feels wrong)
For the first week since school's been out, it's been nothing but bedrotting and ignoring emails (that were mostly just Uber Eats updates). Only getting out of my room to grab something to eat, then heading straight back to bed. Or watching my pile of dirty laundry growing while I remain unbothered. All those lazy moments of me doing absolutely nothing but watching time pass … it's almost everything I've been wanting to do since my last midterm ended.
But then, why do I feel so guilty?
Don't I deserve this?
After eight gruelling months of working until I felt like I was going to explode, my nervous system has definitely been altered to some degree. Because now, when I spend my days getting no work done, a pit in my stomach seems to grow, and the feeling of having wasted my day away settles in.
It's strange and incredibly unfair. Didn't I earn the right to finally do nothing all day after working so hard through the fall and winter terms?
I'm sure this is relatable to a certain degree; that specific type of guilt after getting nothing done, even when you probably deserve the rest. I end up feeling restless and yet remain unmotivated - but this doesn't have to be the case.
The art of doing nothing
Getting 'nothing' done and simply existing in a space isn't necessarily a waste of time like I originally thought.
Sometimes, days of stillness and rest are just as necessary.
To accomplish productivity adequately, you need to be'charged up', meaning the intervals and moments of rest that fuel you to get work done. It sounds like a no-brainer, like how you need sleep to function the next day. But this means that after months of grinding and working, a much-deserved break is almost essential to get those gears turning again for the next semester.
And I know there are always things to get done, like work, maybe a few extra spring/summer classes and courses etc. But I had to learn that the workload from the school year didn't need to be repeated during summer break just to feel accomplished. There should be enough time spent relaxing, reflecting, and simply being present.
Better ways to be 'lazy'
Now, of course, doing 'nothing' doesn't have to mean doomscrolling or binge-watching a pile of shows you'll barely remember the following week. There are all kinds of ways to be 'unproductive'. It could be taking a walk in the park, listening to numerous albums in one sitting, going for a hike, finally trying a new donut flavour you've never considered before, taking a chance at sketching (even if you're absolutely terrible at it) or even just lying in the grass and letting your mind run free.
I would actually argue that spending time on mundane things that don't count as 'work' or 'school-related' is just as productive. These moments spent winding down, being present in the moment and savouring life help you find balance, peace and a certain amount of comfort.
Resting your body and your mind might just be one of the healthiest things you can do. It's not about being 'lazy', it's more about relaxing and de-stressing - taking yourself out of the 'grind' mindset and leaning more toward a vacation/kick-back vibe is vital to restore your ability to care about anything again.
Final Thoughts
Don't get me wrong, this isn't encouragement to quit your job or volunteer position just to spend hours in your bed, but rather to ease the guilt around not being as 'busy' as we tend to be during the fall and winter semesters.
I'm sure plenty of us are still just as booked this summer. Even then, I'd still love to emphasize: those days or weeks or even moments of unproductivity are just as necessary.
