Can I Just Do Nothing? | 🎙️8 Minute English | Beginner

[Music] hello and welcome back our beloved listeners this is the 8 Minute English podcast series on the learn English podcast Channel I'm your host Nathan and it's a pleasure to have you with us again in our Busy World the idea a of doing nothing can seem strange we're often told to always be working or doing something but is this really good for us in this episode we will look at the importance of rest and taking breaks we will discuss why society makes us feel bad for resting and why it's important to do nothing sometimes today

we will talk about can I do nothing join me as we discuss this interesting topic and challenge the idea that we must always be busy you might realize that doing nothing is not only okay but also important for a healthy balanced light also we've prepared a special free PDF for this episode full of useful tips and vocabulary to help you learn more make sure to check it [Music] out sweetheart you look exhausted how about we take a little break in chat I guess a break wouldn't hurt I've been pushing myself really hard lately with work

in my side projects that's what I noticed you need to remember the importance of rest our minds and bodies need downtime to recharge but I feel bad when I'm not working or doing something there's always so much to do I understand but not resting can make you feel worse your mind and body get too tired resting helps your brain relax and reset sometimes doing nothing is good many people think we must always be working but resting is very important too but Mom I feel like there's so much pressure to always be busy and productive what

do you mean dear well it seems like Society expects us to be working or doing something all the time if we're not busy we seen as lazy or unproductive I understand how you feel but that's not a healthy way to think but everyone around me is always so busy it makes me feel like I should be too sweetheart it's important to remember that rest is not a waste of time it's necessary for our health and happiness our culture often values being busy over taking care of ourselves but resting is crucial how so when we don't

rest our bodies and Minds become tired and stressed we can't function at our best I guess that makes sense I do feel more focused after a good night's sleep exactly rest Al ows our bodies to recharge and our minds to process everything we've been doing so you're saying it's okay to take breaks and do nothing sometimes yes absolutely in fact it's more than okay it's necessary for our well-being it's hard when everyone around me is always so busy I know but you need to do what's best for you prioritize your health and happiness over societal

pressures thanks Mom I'll make an effort to rest more and not feel bad about it now that we've talked about the importance of rest let me share some ideas on how to truly Embrace doing nothing okay I'm listening one simple way is to just sit quietly for a little while no TV no phone no distractions just be still and focus on your breathing that sounds a bit boring I understand but give it a try let your mind wander or think about nothing at all it's calming for the body and brain all right I can do

that for a short time another option is to spend some time outside in nature go for a slow walk and admire the trees flowers and Sky I do enjoy being outdoor it's peaceful exactly or you can simply sit in your backyard or a park and soak in the fresh air and sounds of nature those are great ideas for resting my mind yes no TV no book no phone just let your body and mind completely relax without any work I have to admit that sounds heavenly we all need to give ourselves permission to Simply Be and

do nothing sometimes it's not lazy it's self-care you know when we allow ourselves to do nothing it's also important to be present in that moment what do you mean instead of worrying about things you need to do later or thinking about the past try to focus only on the here and now so just clear my mind exactly don't let your thoughts race ahead to the future or dwell on what already happened that's harder than it sounds but with practice you can learn to be more Mindful and present when resting how does that help when you

are focused on the current moment without stress about other times it allows true relaxation I see what you mean no worrying about upcoming things or regrets right you let yourself simply be without any other demands it's like pressing a reset button mindful rest and doing nothing is caring for yourself you're recharging your mind and body fully I can understand why that's so important now I'll try it great even 5 minutes a day of focused purposeful rest can help [Music] now that we've heard some useful stories let's talk about some key vocabulary related to our topic

first up productive it means achieving or producing a good result or output she was productive at work today and finished all her tasks next is her charge it means to regain energy or power after a good night's sleep I feel recharged and ready for the day Embrace is another verb it means to accept or welcome something willingly she decided to embrace a healthier Lifestyle by exercising regularly let's look at adire it means to regard with respect or warm approval I admire her hard work finally regret it means to feel sorry or disappointed about something she

regrets not studying harder for the [Music] exam let's delve into two important questions about our topic the first question is why do people feel bad when they're not being productive people feel bad when they're not being productive because there is societal pressure to always be busy and working they feel like if they're not constantly doing something they will be seen as lazy you're unproductive the second question what are some suggestions given to help Embrace doing nothing some suggestions given are to sit quietly without distractions and focus on breathing spend time in nature by going for

walks or sitting in a park and simply lounging without any plan or agenda the key is to allow the mind and body to fully relax [Music] as we wrap up today's episode remember that taking time to do nothing is not a luxury but a necessity it's an act of self-care that allows us to recharge and function at our best be present in those moments letting your mind and body truly relax without worrying about the future or dwelling on the past even just a few minutes of purposeful rest each day can make a big difference so

give give yourself permission to do nothing sometimes you deserve it until next time take care [Music]