Doing Trivial Things vs. Doing Nothing

There are certain inessential activities— moths of precious time— and it is worse to busy yourself with the trivial than to do nothing.

– Baltasar Gracian

This is a quote from my daily calendar. I’m not sure if I quite agree with this statement. The reason is because sometimes, we can be caught up in trivial things. And that is just part of the journey. Plus, what seems trivial to one person might not necessarily be trivial to another person.

I think that doing nothing is meditative and can help you figure out what you want to do with your life. I think that is the point of the quote. However, you can also figure out your life by doing trivial things. Not everyone can though. So that is why it is better to do nothing than trivial things.

How do you know if you’re caught up in triviality?

If you find yourself stuck in the same old routine, feeling unsatisfied and drained or feeling at a loss, it may be because you are caught up with the trivial. However, there are few things that I consider to be trivial. That’s because I find value in everything I do, and what is not important to me (such as the news) may be significant to someone else (such as a world leader). What is trivial to you is whatever you find to be of little value.

It can be uncomfortable to sit in discomfort. But, it is a good way to self-reflect. You can figure out your life by contemplating on it or dreaming of your future. Or, you can sit in a meditative state and learn how to expand your awareness, learning how to enjoy the present moment.