Could you do nothing for half an hour per day?
‘The Do Nothing Challenge’ – a fundraiser for Smiling Mind, ReachOut, and Orygen – wants Australians to do nothing for five million minutes this November, one minute for every person who’s affected by mental health challenges each year.
It encourages Aussies to spend thirty minutes a day doing nothing for the whole of November, whilst raising money for mental health charity partners Smiling Mind, ReachOut, and Orygen.
What you need to know
- The Do Nothing Challenge is a fundraiser for three key mental health charities
- It encourages Australians to take time out of their day to focus on wellbeing
- Every year, five million Australians are affected by mental health issues
Stay up to date with what’s happening in Melbourne here.
That thirty minutes of “doing nothing” could be spent simply sitting still and breathing, meditating with the Smiling Mind app, practicing gratitude, embracing mindfulness, watching the leaves sway on a tree, or anything that allows the mind to slow down and relax… away from the pressures of everyday life. You can do thirty minutes in one go, or break it up throughout the day.
If you’ve been looking for help to get started meditating, or simply need ways to clear your mind, perhaps this is for you. The Do Nothing Challenge includes a suite of tools that helps participants Do Nothing – these range from videos of waves on a beach, paint drying, grass growing, White Noise Music playlists, On Hold muzak, and even Out-of-Office messages to encourage workplaces to do something for the mental health of their staff.
Every year 5 million Australians are affected by some sort of mental health challenge, and the effects of COVID are creating an ever-increasing burden on people’s mental health.
Alex Wadelton, Creative Director of Silver Lining, says “There are so many amazing fundraisers for charities that encourage you to do more push-ups, feel the burn with squats, run farther, cycle longer, and so on. But there isn’t one that focuses on slowing down. So, we decided to make one of our own. Of course we don’t mean to do literally nothing, as mediation is actually active. But having time out on your terms is so important, especially whilst in and out of lockdowns.”
Sign up to The Do Nothing Challenge or See the launch film here.
