In a new book, an entrepreneur argues that ‘wasting time on purpose’ can be a fuel for creativity

“I don’t have time.” “You need to work 100 hours a week.” “Hustle, bro.”

We’ve all heard it. Welcome to the cult of busyness. Being “busy” is the new cocaine. You feel superior just because you’re drowning in deadlines and dopamine. I have been high on that drug for years. But I have finally learnt that hard work works if you’re lifting bricks. Not if you’re building breakthroughs.

Newton discovered gravity while chilling under a tree. Archimedes had his Eureka moment in a bathtub. JK Rowling on a delayed train. Not in meetings, and definitely not in hustle porn reels. Because when you stop “doing”, your subconscious starts creating.

But these days, even our toilet breaks are a date with our beloved mobile phone. Scroll. Swipe. Shit. Repeat. Doing nothing is a forgotten art. And it’s killing your creativity. Stillness is your brain’s VIP lounge. Ideas only check in when the noise checks out. And no, I’m not saying ditch the hustle. But hustle without clarity is just running in circles. Stillness gives it direction.

Still not convinced? Let’s ask the bald dude with rockets and next-day returns: Jeff Bezos. He says, “I like to putter.” Translation: I waste time – on purpose. Because he only needs to make three good decisions a day. And you can’t do that with a fried brain. So, yes, doing nothing can unlock genius. Let’s talk about the laziest genius of all time – Leonardo da Vinci.

Millions of people do nothing, but they don’t create the Mona Lisa. So what made Leonardo da Vinci different? He was famous for his procrastination. He delayed client work for months – even years. Why? Because he was busy staring at walls, watching birds and dissecting frogs. Not to slack, but to wonder. His “laziness” gave us the Mona Lisa, flying machines and an understanding of modern anatomy. He didn’t grind. He drifted – but with curiosity. There’s a huge difference between passive nothingness and active curiosity. Leonardo da Vinci was doing “nothing” – but his mind was always on fire. He wasn’t zoning out. He was tuning in.

Da Vinci carried notebooks everywhere. He drew and asked questions. Most people do nothing with their ideas, but he captured everything in his books. Most people waste time to escape, but da Vinci wasted time to explore. One numbs the mind. The other unlocks it.

So if you want your “doing nothing” to mean something, ask questions nobody’s asking, let your brain wander, sit with boredom until it whispers and create more than you consume.

What counts as “Doing Nothing”?

✘ Scrolling. Sleeping. Bingeing.

✔ Going for a walk. Staring at the sky. Sitting in silence. Journaling weird thoughts.

“But, bro, I can’t afford to do nothing. I have a lot of work.” That’s fair. Then buy your time back. Let me share my experience.

In 2009, I was running my first business. It was so hectic that I was working 16 hours a day. There were no Sundays off, no vacations and no peace. I wasn’t a founder; I was a full-time firefighter. And the business? It was the size of a paan shop. But I was working like I was running the country. Then came the switch. I read books on systems and being more productive (The E-Myth and 4-Hour Workweek) and applied the takeaways. Then came the time to test the result: I went to Ladakh for ten days without my laptop or my phone. If the business tanked without me in ten days, it wasn’t the business I wanted. And if it ran better? I’d be free.

It ran better. That trip gave me peace and freedom. Here’s what I did before I went for the trip:

Eliminate: Cut the crap. Most of your to-do list is just ego.
Automate: Use tools like subscriptions and reminders or organise. Your brain is not a task manager.
Delegate: If your time is worth Rs 5000 per hour, don’t do Rs 300 per hour work. Not because you’re arrogant but because you’re efficient.

I also realised that earlier, I was the traffic police waving at every car. So I became a different kind of traffic cop. The one who sets up signals … and disappears. The system runs. You watch from the shadows. And appear only when something is broken.

According to Microsoft’s 2023 Work Trend Index, 62% of workers say they lack time for focused, meaningful work – thanks to meetings, pings and perpetual busyness. In a world that worships busyness, focus is now a rebellion. And guess who thrives? Lazy people. They build systems, design shortcuts and make life work for them – not the other way around.

So, yes, be lazy. But with purpose. Lie on the grass. Let your mind wander. In silence, the truth that scares you the most finally shows up. That truth also sets you free. The world may reward your hustle, but your soul only blooms in peace. Be a da Vinci in a world full of deadlines. You weren’t born to be busy. You were born to blow minds. And sometimes, that starts with doing nothing. Loudly.

Want the next edge? Let’s focus in a distracted world.

Do the damn thing: waste time (intentionally)

Reflect: When was the last time you were truly still—no phone, no plan, no pressure?

Act: Block thirty minutes today. Tell your brain: ‘Sit down. We’re doing nothing. And you’re going to love it.’