Cross-Cultural Wellness: Insights From an Anxiety Therapist in San Francisco to Support Your Creative Life (Part two of a series)

The Art of Doing Nothing: Why Rest Is Vital for Creatives, According to an Anxiety Therapist in San Francisco

In our culture, we often prize and prioritize productivity. We feel guilty and defensive if we aren’t actively working, whether that means we believe we should be writing a chapter or even practicing a piece. In our heads, if you can’t see a tangible product at the end of the day, the negative voice starts up, ‘But what did you actually do today??’. If you aren’t producing, completing an end product, then you should at least be very busy, right? This can be a big trap, particularly for folks who don’t work a traditional 9 - 5 pm job where no one is dictating what your workday should look like, or when something is due. And if you do have a more traditional job, then the pressure you put on yourself to make use of that ‘free time’ can be enormous.

What gets missed is that rest, downtime, and playtime are essential to everyone if you wish to have a truly healthy life. I know that if you’re a writer, performer, musician, or any type of creative, chances are you’ve internalized the message that rest equals laziness. Or worse: that taking breaks means you’re not a “real” artist. But as an anxiety therapist in San Francisco, I can tell you that idea is bullshit, and I’m here to also let you know that rest is not just allowed—it’s vital. Our brains require unfocused time. It’s not that your brain stops working when we’re either at rest or at play; it means that your creativity and artistic problems are being worked on in the background. When your mind isn’t being forced to focus, it can do a better job for you. For creatives, that means you actually need time away from the work, to do something completely different, or have some silence to allow your creativity space to breathe and grow.

Let’s take a breath together. No, seriously. Take a breath - inhale slowly for a count of four, then exhale for a count of four. Now, let’s explore the art of slowing down through the lens of global wellness practices. I invite you to take a pause - without guilt, refill your creative well, and reimagine what productivity looks like.

Dolce Far Niente: The Sweetness of Doing Nothing

In Italy, Dolce far niente translates to “the sweetness of doing nothing.” As you might guess, it’s not about numbing out by scrolling on your phone or avoiding life. It’s about the state of being—observing the world as it goes by, sipping tea in a comfortable chair, and simply existing without needing to perform or produce, or make this experience into anything else.

Think about it. How often do your best ideas come on demand while you’re tied to your desk? Creative connections often arrive while you're doing something else non-productive, like walking, staring out a window, or lying in bed.

Try this: Set a timer for 15 minutes. Sit near a window or in a patch of sunlight. Turn your phone facedown. Don’t scan your to-do list. Just be. Notice what surfaces when you stop pushing. This might be difficult to do if you aren’t used to it. Be patient and let go of expectations as best you can.

Fika: Coffee, Connection, and Creative Reset

From Sweden comes the concept of Fika, a daily ritual of slowing down—usually with coffee, a pastry, and good company. But it’s not about getting jacked up on caffeine, it’s more about being present.

If you're feeling isolated in your creative life (one of the most isolating endeavors), a daily Fika could be a grounding anchor. A regular reminder that breaks don’t take away from your productivity, they restore it.

Try this: Think about a friend you haven’t seen for a while because you’ve been so busy. What if you made time to meet up for a Fika? Share the concept with them and see if they might get on board with the idea as well. Doesn’t have to be all afternoon, just a chance to hang out for an hour.

Inemuri and Siesta: Naps Reimagined

In Japan, Inemuri means “being present while asleep.” It’s culturally acceptable—even respected—to nap in public as a sign that you’ve been working hard. In Spain and other parts of the world, the Siesta continues to be an important break, the midday rest.

For creatives in San Francisco caught in the trap of exhaustion equaling self-worth, power naps aren’t a luxury—they’re a strategy. No one’s nervous system is designed to work nonstop, or even most of the time. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is lie down.

Try this: To adapt Inemuri for our purposes, don’t run yourself into the ground before you decide it’s okay to rest. Remember, you have nothing to prove to anyone; this is about what your own body and mind require. Lie down somewhere quiet and close your eyes, even if you don’t fall asleep. Let yourself relax by focusing on your breathing, and do nothing - on purpose.

Hurkle-Durkle: The Joy of Staying in Bed

We have Scotland to thank for this one. Hurkle-durkle is the act of lounging in bed long after you should be up. It’s about letting yourself linger.

Many of my anxious and perfectionistic clients tell me they feel a sense of shame if they don’t leap out of bed at 6 a.m. to immediately tackle their color-coded task list. Here’s another way to look at it: maybe your body knows something your anxiety doesn’t. Maybe your creativity needs slow mornings.

Try this: Experiment with not judging yourself the next time you have a pull to hurkle-durkle. You might be surprised by how your day shifts when it starts from a place of softness and self-compassion, rather than shame.

You’re Not Lazy—You’re Depleted

In therapy, we talk a lot about burnout masquerading as laziness. Anxious creatives often carry guilt for not being ‘productive enough,’ but rarely stop to ask: What’s actually good for my work?

As an anxiety therapist in San Francisco, I know that rest, leisure, and gentle routines are an integral part of recovery. Especially for folks navigating perfectionism or impostor syndrome, rest can be an important act of rebellion—a way to dispense with the lie that your worth depends on what you produce.

How Therapy Can Help You Become Kinder to Yourself By Embracing Rest and Restoration

If the idea of doing nothing makes you feel anxious, you’re not alone. In fact, that’s a sign therapy could help. Together, we can:

• Identify and unpack the beliefs that tell you rest is bad and that you should always be producing

• Learn strategies for taking care of your nervous system without guilt

• Rebuild routines around sustainability, not overwork

• Redefine what success looks like for you

You deserve rhythms that include rest, creativity, joy, and purpose—not just guilt and pressure.

Let’s Build a True Work/Life Balance—Together

You don’t need to earn rest. You already deserve it. If anxiety, burnout, or self-doubt is keeping you stuck in “go mode,” I’d love to help.

Schedule a free 15-minute consultation
Let’s talk about how therapy can support you to be your best creative self.
lisa@lisafrankfortmft.com

Lisa Frankfort, Ph.D., LMFT is an anxiety therapist in San Francisco who works with creatives of all kinds—writers, artists, performers, musicians—especially those wrestling with anxiety, impostor syndrome, perfectionism, or feeling like a fraud (despite evidence to the contrary). Her fully virtual practice offers a grounded, no-nonsense space where you can get real about what’s holding you back—without having to explain what it means to live inside a creative brain. Therapy with Lisa includes insight, warmth, as well as laughing —because healing doesn’t always have to be heavy.

Curious to see if it’s a good fit? Learn more at www.lisafrankfortmft.com.