The Art of Doing Nothing
- foodvibes
- Oct 10
- 2 min read
Posted by Victoria Feldman
October 1st , 2025
The past two weeks were a blur of nonstop doing. I was pouring energy into social media filming, client work, speaking at a conference, book-writing, and networking conferences. At the same time, I planned my husband’s birthday brunch for forty people, hosted twelve more for Rosh Hashanah, and started new courses on finance and investing. By Tuesday, I hit a wall.
I went through meetings on autopilot, volunteered at my daughter’s school, and showed up for a parent-teacher conference, but inside, I was running on empty. When I finally collapsed on the couch, all I could do was read or watch a show. I was too drained to even go to the gym.
And instead of relief, what I felt most was guilt. Guilt for not “using my time productively.”
Then I remembered...
Adam Grant writes about how our culture glorifies productivity—turning rest into something that feels undeserved. We measure our worth by output, as if pausing makes us less valuable. But he also reminds us that recovery is part of performance. Without it, even our best intentions burn out into fatigue and resentment.
That shift helps me see my crash differently. Doing nothing wasn’t a failure—it was fuel. Just like muscles grow during rest, our clarity, creativity, and presence recharge when we step away. The shame I felt wasn’t truth—it was conditioning.
Try this with me.
When you feel guilty for resting, pause and try this reset:
Say out loud: “Rest is part of the work.”
Take 15 minutes to do something that restores you—lie down, listen to music, or simply breathe.
Notice how you feel afterward, and write one line about what rest gave you.
Stay in touch
If this resonates, hit reply and share one way you gave yourself permission to rest this week.
Victoria Feldman
Executive Coach | Leadership Strategist | EQ & Wellness Advocate
📸 Follow me on Instagram: @CareerCoachFeldman
🔗 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/victoriafeldman
📞 Book 1:1 Coaching: intro.co/victoriafeldman
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