5/15/25

The Power of Doing Nothing

The Power of Doing Nothing

I recently took a trip to Malaysia. It feels like a second home by now—my husband is from there and his family lives in Malaysia, which is why we go frequently. The flight is long, about 22 hours if we go directly from LAX to Singapore and then to Malaysia. Depending on layovers, it can stretch beyond 24 hours.

As I prepared for my trip, I packed my personal bag with my laptop, a book, downloaded podcasts, my flying playlist—and if I could have, my Nintendo Switch. This packing list revealed something about me: my brain doesn't know how to do nothing. When faced with empty time, I instinctively fill it with work or entertainment, as if doing nothing is somehow wasteful.

When I finally arrived in Malaysia, all those business plans I'd made for my time there vanished, planting a seed of guilt that bloomed when I returned.

After multiple trips to Malaysia, I've mastered handling the physical adjustments—the weather changes, the food differences, the time zone shifts. But this last trip taught me what I hadn't yet learned: how to actually plan to do nothing. After all, isn't that what vacation is for?

Whether you're traveling overseas for weeks or enjoying a weekend staycation, remember your intention is to rest. Fully rest, fully let go, and fully embrace the power of doing nothing.

Here are a few reminders for planning to do absolutely nothing:

Don't plan to "work" on vacation or rest time

Before leaving, I created tasks and deadlines for an upcoming launch during my trip. My brain was essentially planning work because it recognized I had no meetings or commitments, so it invented deadlines during time meant for vacation. Of course, once I arrived in Malaysia, being present made me forget all about those tasks.

Be present during your time off. Planning to work on vacation is like going to McDonald's for a salad. Why? And who in their right mind? Lol

Prioritize your vacation time the same way you prioritize business goals

Ever heard of "selective hearing"? It's when your brain actively filters out noise it deems unimportant. Before my trip, I was focused on many plans, projects, and launches. While I consciously knew my trip was approaching, my brain selectively ignored it, focusing only on business goals.

My vacation remained in my periphery until the day before when I suddenly realized I'd be gone for three weeks! That's when I frantically started planning deadlines during my trip—which, as you know, never happened. I now understand that vacation and rest time deserve the same priority as my business plans.

Recognize, release and repeat

Returning from my trip, I felt guilty. How could I let my deadlines slip away? I came back feeling a sense of urgency about all my projects. (I'm not gonna lie, I did outline this month's workshop during my trip, so I worked a bit.)

Here's a tool from my meditation practice that applies perfectly: Recognize, release, and repeat. Recognize the feeling of guilt, release it, and repeat these steps whenever you're beating yourself up about not working. You're on vacation for a reason—because you deserve it! Learning how to vacation as a business owner is a practice.

Doing Nothing is Absolutely Ok

After three weeks away, coming back has been an adjustment. I've had to reset my internal clock, get back to my routine, and fight the guilt over what I didn't accomplish while away. It's insane to feel guilty about not working during vacation, but that's the mindset entrepreneurship often instills in us.

This week, I'm grateful for the reminder that taking time to find my balance is ok. Being jetlagged for a week (after 30, jetlag hits differently!) is ok. And most importantly, doing nothing is absolutely ok.

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