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Sanjana Yadav
Remember when Sundays felt like a gentle pause? No alarms. No buzzing phones. Just slow mornings, long conversations, and a feeling that time had softened its grip. In today’s fast-paced, hyper-productive world, the idea of doing nothing feels almost rebellious — but maybe, it’s exactly what we need.
Psychologists remind us that our minds crave rest — not just sleep, but true mental stillness. It’s in those unstructured moments that creativity sparks and calm settles in. Yet, our weekends have become an extension of the workweek: packed with to-do lists, side projects, never-ending notifications, and social media scroll-athons.
Even relaxation has become something we schedule and monitor. Meditation apps ping reminders, and ‘self-care’ is reduced to something we tick off between meetings.
But Sundays weren’t meant for hustle. They were meant for heart. For stretching out under the sun, for reading forgotten books, for wandering conversations that lead nowhere. They were made for breathing — not just with lungs, but with spirit.
Take Anita Deshmukh from Pune, a retired teacher who’s revived the magic of “slow Sundays” in her building. “No screens, no chores. Just a community tea session at 5 and shared laughter,” she says with a smile. Children play board games. Elders trade stories. And no one’s watching the clock.
In urban India, being busy has become a badge of honor. Stillness is mistaken for slacking. But research tells another story — unhurried time lowers stress hormones, sharpens memory, and deepens empathy.
That’s why wellness experts are now championing something called intentional idleness. It’s not about doing nothing out of laziness, but making space — emotionally and physically — to simply exist without expectations.
Think digital detoxes, cooking slowly without recipes, journaling without an agenda, or even just sitting by the window, watching the world go by. These aren’t indulgences. They’re lifelines in a world that never switches off.
The pandemic momentarily gave us a taste of this stillness. But as we rushed back to normal, we left behind the lessons of slowness. We forgot that it’s okay — even essential — to step back.
Doing nothing doesn’t make you unproductive. It makes you human. It’s a quiet protest against a culture obsessed with constant output. This Sunday, resist the urge to schedule. Let the day flow. Watch, feel, rest. And maybe, just maybe — do absolutely nothing.
