“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.”
-Bertrand Russell
Call me lazy, but my favorite thing to do is lay in bed or sit on the couch with a blanket and waste the day away. Whether I’m binge watching a new show, mindlessly scrolling on TikTok or playing a video game – I am content to do mind numbing activities 80% of the time. But there is always a constant nagging in the back of my head that I am wasting my precious 20’s under a blanket on the couch instead of doing exciting things.
In this day and age, I feel a lot of pressure to be having fun or do something productive. With the world at your fingertips or in the palm of your hand, it’s hard to not consistently feel the need to learn and grow as a person or constantly connect with your friends. But I’ll be honest, all of that pressure and expectation drives me crazy.
That’s where the quote at the beginning of this article comes in. I came across this quote many years ago and it truly resonated with me and still does to this day. This quote reminds me that investing time in your passions or things that make you happy, is never truly a waste of time. If something gives you joy in anyway shape or form, even if it might seem without purpose or a waste of time to others, it isn’t. Time spent doing anything that makes you happy or calms your heart/mind, is time well spent.
Not everything you do has to make you grow as a person or add to your skill set. There is a high probability that you could be doing something more important at any point in time but living with that mindset seems unhealthy to me. Every second of every day can’t be productive, even if we have the tools available to us. I find great joy in the menial, quiet, relaxing times – and I refuse to feel guilty for spending my time the way I’d like to.
As I get older, I find the constant pressure to be doing something cool, exciting, fun and trendy to fade. Through my friendships, coworkers and relationship I’ve begun to accept that maybe I’m a bit of a homebody (okay maybe a little more than a bit) and don’t find joy in a full calendar of plans. And that’s okay! Everyone has different thresholds for socializing and productive activities – “wasting time” is subjective. My happiness and mental health is more important that appearing busy and productive on social media.
So with that said, if you can take one thing away from this ranty article, remember that although life is short and you feel the need to jam it full of memories and activities – don’t forget to take time for you too. Next time you waste some time comfortable on the couch, remember that time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.