Our core principles and manifesto for intentional inactivity in a world obsessed with productivity
Permission to Pause: We believe you have the right to stop, rest, and simply be without justification, explanation, or productivity goals.
No Gamification: We reject the idea that rest must be tracked, scored, or optimized. Doing nothing is not a competition or achievement to unlock.
Space to Be: We create tools that give you space to exist without fixing, improving, or changing anything about yourself.
Intentional Inactivity: We distinguish between mindless scrolling and mindful rest. True doing nothing is conscious, intentional, and present.
Anti-Productivity: We challenge the assumption that constant activity equals success. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is nothing at all.
Our tools are intentionally simple. No complex interfaces, no overwhelming options. Just what you need to pause and be present.
We don't track your progress, streaks, or achievements. Instead, we focus on helping you be present in this moment, exactly as you are.
In a culture that values constant doing, we create space for being. You don't need to accomplish anything during your do-nothing time.
Taking intentional rest is an act of resistance against a system that demands constant productivity. Rest is radical and necessary.
There's no correct way to do nothing. Whether you breathe, meditate, stare at the wall, or simply sit—it all counts.
Access to rest and peace should never be behind a paywall. Our core tools are free, always and forever, because everyone deserves permission to pause.
When we talk about "doing nothing," we're not talking about laziness, procrastination, or mindless consumption. We're talking about intentional inactivity—a conscious choice to pause, rest, and simply be.
"In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you." — Deepak Chopra
Research in neuroscience, psychology, and productivity science consistently demonstrates that intentional periods of inactivity are not just beneficial—they're essential for optimal human functioning.
When we're not actively focused on tasks, our brain doesn't shut down. Instead, it switches to a different mode of operation called the "default mode network." This network becomes active during rest and is responsible for:
This is why some of our best ideas come in the shower, during a walk, or right before falling asleep—when we're not actively trying to think.
Studies show that regular periods of intentional rest can:
Do Nothing started as a personal experiment. After years of burnout and the constant pressure to be productive, we realized we needed something different—a tool that didn't try to fix us, but simply gave us space to be.
It felt counterintuitive at first. In a world of meditation apps and productivity hacks, who would want an app that literally does nothing? But that's exactly the point.
We built Do Nothing as a tool with one job: to give you permission to pause. No guided meditations, no progress tracking, no gamification. Just a simple timer and the gentle reminder that sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is nothing at all.
Since then, thousands of people have discovered that intentional nothing isn't empty time—it's space for everything else to fall into place. It's where creativity happens, where stress dissolves, and where we remember who we are beneath all the doing.
Join thousands who've discovered that doing nothing is the most powerful thing you can do for yourself.
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