The Lost Art of Doing Nothing
November 10, 2026
“Rediscovering the simple pleasure of slowing down.”
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During my recent travels through Italy, I was reminded of something Europeans, particularly Italians, seem to appreciate better than most Americans — the simple pleasure of slowing down. Whether enjoying a leisurely lunch, sipping an espresso at a sidewalk café, or spending an afternoon in conversation with friends, there appears to be less urgency to fill every waking moment with activity. The Italians even have an expression for it, dolce far niente, meaning “the sweetness of doing nothing.” It’s a refreshing contrast to our American obsession with productivity, packed schedules, and the notion that being busy somehow equates to being successful. Somewhere along the way, we’ve become so accustomed to measuring our days by what we accomplish that we’ve forgotten how to simply enjoy them. Perhaps there’s something to be learned from a culture that makes room for life’s quieter pleasures.
Interestingly, research suggests that having time to ourselves really does matter, although balance is important. According to a 2021 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers Marissa Sharif, Cassie Mogilner, and Hal Hershfield examined data involving more than 35,000 Americans and found that having too little discretionary time was associated with lower well-being, while having substantially more free time did not necessarily produce greater happiness. Their findings also suggested that how we spend our leisure time matters, particularly when activities provide a sense of purpose. The lesson isn’t that we should abandon ambition or spend our afternoons doing absolutely nothing. Rather, it’s recognizing that relaxation, meaningful conversation, and occasionally stepping away from our responsibilities deserve a place in our lives.
The Takeaway: My time in Italy reinforced a simple thought: A full calendar doesn’t necessarily mean a full life. Sometimes the most rewarding moments are the ones we never bothered to schedule.
