The Radical Art of Doing Nothing (and Why It Might Be the Most Productive Thing You Do All Year)
I know. The title alone probably made your productivity app twitch.
But stay with me.
As a brand photographer, my entire job revolves around creativity. Vision. Energy. Being able to see things before they exist. And after years of working with incredible business owners (and being one myself), here’s a truth I will happily stand on:
The magic does not come from grinding yourself into creative dust.
It comes from silence. From space. From joy. From doing absolutely nothing on purpose.
And yes, it works wonders for both your life and your business.
The Hustle Lie We’ve All Been Sold
Somewhere along the way, we were fed the idea that if we’re not producing, learning, optimizing, or monetizing every spare moment, we’re falling behind.
If you’re not booked and busy, you must be doing something wrong.
If you take a walk in the middle of the day, surely your competitors are passing you.
I just don’t buy it.
And honestly? Neither does my camera.
The most aligned, magnetic, confident clients I photograph aren’t the ones running on caffeine and anxiety. They’re the ones who give themselves permission to live. To step away. To have hobbies. To touch grass. To laugh. To rest.
And it shows. Every single time.
What I See Through the Lens
I can tell when someone hasn’t come up for air in months.
Their shoulders are tight. Their smile feels forced. Their energy is… muted.
Then there are the clients who tell me things like:
“I started taking daily walks without my phone.”
“I picked up a hobby that has nothing to do with my business.”
“I stopped filling every quiet moment with a podcast.”
Those sessions hit different.
They show up grounded. Clear. Confident. Playful. Their ideas flow easier. Their decisions feel sharper. Their brand photos reflect who they actually are, not who hustle culture told them to be.
That’s not an accident.
Why Doing Nothing Feels So Uncomfortable (At First)
Doing nothing feels counterproductive because we’ve been trained to believe rest has to be earned.
That fun is a reward.
That silence is laziness.
But creativity doesn’t live in constant consumption. It lives in space.
Your best ideas don’t arrive when you’re scrolling. They show up in the shower. On a walk. While driving with the music up. While you’re laughing with a friend. While you’re doing something you enjoy for no reason other than… you enjoy it.
That’s not falling behind.
That’s reconnecting with yourself.
The Business Benefits No One Talks About
When you schedule time to do nothing, here’s what actually happens:
You make clearer decisions.
You stop forcing content and ideas.
You trust yourself more.
You show up with better energy.
You attract clients who feel aligned instead of draining.
Your nervous system calms down. Your creativity wakes up. Your business stops feeling like a constant uphill sprint.
Ironically? You often make more money.
Because ease is attractive.
Permission Slip (Because Apparently We Need One)
So consider this your official permission slip to:
Take the walk.
Pick up the hobby.
Sit in silence.
Stare out the window.
Do something just because it’s fun.
You don’t need more information fed to you.
You don’t need to optimize every hour.
You need to enjoy your life.
That’s where the magic is.
And as a creative? That magic is your greatest business asset.
Brand photo for mindset coach in Leaf and Loft studio located in Lancaster, PA.