Doing Nothing Is Harder Than You Think

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2097

Abstract

not when you are alive.But that raises the question: “Would it still be hard to live life only doing the necessary things?” Before we can actually answer this question, we need to define what necessary is.As someone that always hears about Maslow, I will just use his hierarchy of needs as a basis for this discussion. Basically, his theory states that people have different types of needs. We will focus on basic needs. These basic needs include safety and physiological needs.An example of safety needs would be a house. I do not need to explain why you need a house, because I assume that you know for yourself. If you do not know why then maybe just sell your house. After 1 day, you probably would want to buy back the house.<figure id="3309"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*qkN3tX_yxSA0BohVhkxESg.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/@curtis-adams-1694007?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels">Curtis Adams</a> from <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-house-3555615/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels">Pexels</a></figcaption></figure>As for physiological needs, that would include water, food, sleep, etc. Funny enough, sex is a basic need. I guess Maslow thinks of it as a basic need because he had a lot of parties back in the 1900s. I am clearly joking, but I do understand where he is coming from. No pun intended.Assuming that we automatically fulfill the basic needs by doing nothing, would it still be difficult to do nothing? Most people would still believe that doing nothing is easy, rather than hard. I think that belief depends on your own character.Like I said in the beginning, some people might be fed up doing a lot of work. On the contrary, there are people that really love doing work. Those people are what you call workaholics, but I do believe that it is human nature to desire to do something in life

Options

.For instance, no one is forcing you to read my writing. Well. Hopefully, no one is forcing you. It is your own obligation to read this, just as it is my own obligation to write.<figure id="3a14"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*oGOcM0qousODByxx"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@sincerelymedia?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Sincerely Media</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure>The reasoning behind my desire to write is not because I have nothing to do. In fact, I could simply stop writing and tell my friends to come online to play video games. So, why do I try to do something that I normally do not do? Simple. Playing video games became a norm.When I was very young, I received my first Game Boy. I was a very excited kid back then because I have never heard of a digital toy. But these days, my excitement for new games is underwhelming. It does not matter if the graphics are a million times better than the first videogame I played. The feeling of doing something new feels much different than doing something that we normally do.But what if someone was born into a room that only offers basic needs? Well, that person may never get to experience novelty. That also means that it might be easy for them to do nothing. They do not have something tempting them into wanting to change their basic lifestyle. However, once a new activity is presented to that person and abruptly taken away from them; They would most likely yearn for that activity. That is what makes doing nothing difficult.A lot of us want to try out new things when given the chance. Even if the new activity may be unethical or bothersome, there are people that will still choose to do them.When you are doing the same thing every day, it feels like you are chained. Taking on new activities helps release our chains — we achieve a sense of freedom.</article></body>

Sometimes the “easy” route might not be so easy

At one point in your life, you probably wanted to do nothing — at all. I would assume that you were overwhelmed by a lot of work. Whether it was doing your calculus homework or helping out your company — you were fed up. You most likely told yourself, “This sucks a lot.” Then you followed it up with, “I just want to do nothing.” After your desire to do nothing, you decided to move on with your life. It is the obvious thing to do because we do not have a choice. Well, unless you count death as an option. Hopefully, no one actually considered that as an option.

Hey! At least I know that my reader is alive, and maybe well.

But if you are headed to a path where you feel like giving up is the best option, I suggest talking to those close to you. Even if they might not have the capabilities to directly assist you with work, they can do things that may surprise you.

Anyways, doing nothing is practically impossible because we are human beings. End of story. Doing nothing is harder than you think because it is just not possible to do nothing — well, at least not when you are alive.

But that raises the question: “Would it still be hard to live life only doing the necessary things?” Before we can actually answer this question, we need to define what necessary is.

As someone that always hears about Maslow, I will just use his hierarchy of needs as a basis for this discussion. Basically, his theory states that people have different types of needs. We will focus on basic needs. These basic needs include safety and physiological needs.

An example of safety needs would be a house. I do not need to explain why you need a house, because I assume that you know for yourself. If you do not know why then maybe just sell your house. After 1 day, you probably would want to buy back the house.

As for physiological needs, that would include water, food, sleep, etc. Funny enough, sex is a basic need. I guess Maslow thinks of it as a basic need because he had a lot of parties back in the 1900s. I am clearly joking, but I do understand where he is coming from. No pun intended.

Assuming that we automatically fulfill the basic needs by doing nothing, would it still be difficult to do nothing? Most people would still believe that doing nothing is easy, rather than hard. I think that belief depends on your own character.

Like I said in the beginning, some people might be fed up doing a lot of work. On the contrary, there are people that really love doing work. Those people are what you call workaholics, but I do believe that it is human nature to desire to do something in life.

For instance, no one is forcing you to read my writing. Well. Hopefully, no one is forcing you. It is your own obligation to read this, just as it is my own obligation to write.

The reasoning behind my desire to write is not because I have nothing to do. In fact, I could simply stop writing and tell my friends to come online to play video games. So, why do I try to do something that I normally do not do? Simple. Playing video games became a norm.

When I was very young, I received my first Game Boy. I was a very excited kid back then because I have never heard of a digital toy. But these days, my excitement for new games is underwhelming. It does not matter if the graphics are a million times better than the first videogame I played. The feeling of doing something new feels much different than doing something that we normally do.

But what if someone was born into a room that only offers basic needs? Well, that person may never get to experience novelty. That also means that it might be easy for them to do nothing. They do not have something tempting them into wanting to change their basic lifestyle. However, once a new activity is presented to that person and abruptly taken away from them; They would most likely yearn for that activity. That is what makes doing nothing difficult.

A lot of us want to try out new things when given the chance. Even if the new activity may be unethical or bothersome, there are people that will still choose to do them.

When you are doing the same thing every day, it feels like you are chained. Taking on new activities helps release our chains — we achieve a sense of freedom.