Always something to solve. This had let me into some heavy periods… more on that later. But here’s what I’ve discovered, on the other side of the hustle:
Doing nothing, intentionally, consciously, guilt-free, has actually made me more efficient.

Not less. Here’s how I do it.

I schedule thinking time now. On purpose.

At least twice a week, I take an hour to just… think.
No camera. no screen. no inbox. no smartphone. no company. Most definitely a coffee and preferably outside in nature or in my garden.

Just me, some notes, and whatever is running circles in my head and the notes that I made during the week with items that I had to think about but hadn't had the time or the right moment. (often in the middle of the night)

I pour out and think about every half-baked idea, unfinished to-do, shoot worry, gear doubt, every decision to be made, every bad decision made and creative impulse into that moment. Even the stupid stuff. Especially the stupid stuff. Because they need to be erased if unnecessary to create more headspace.
I really think those through, in and out.
Some just get resolved very fast and marked unimportant. Especially thoughts at night look complex, more emotional or more severe than they actually are.
Other need further thinking or action and those get an action item on my todo list.
And weirdly enough?

Once it’s been thought over and written down, it stops shouting. It just resides non urgent waiting to be handled.
But those big questions that used to haunt you?
They’re dealt with. They’re structured.
It’s now either, of “the thinking list” and on “the ToDo” list or it’s just gone.

I can see what matters, what’s noise, and what’s next. It’s like a mental reset button.

My sleep improved too

Before I started doing this, I had so many nights where my brain would start working overtime the moment my head hit the pillow.

As a photographer and videographer, I often find myself mentally rehearsing upcoming projects like little movies in my head:

• What if the conditions aren’t right?

• What if the setup doesn’t go as planned?

• What if the client suddenly changes direction?

• What if I forget that one crucial detail?

• What if I forget that one crucial gear?

And truth is, those thought processes are gold.

That kind of mental pre-production makes you sharper on set. It helps you anticipate, adapt, and walk in prepared for whatever comes your way.
It’s part of the job. It’s part of the craft.

But here’s the thing:

The worst possible time to run those scenarios is at 3AM.
Your brain’s working overtime, but you’re getting nowhere. Nothing ever looked better in your head than it did after some actual sleep.
That’s why I now schedule time to think, plan, worry, and work things through.

Daytime worry beats midnight overthinking, every single time.

So when I have those moments at night, I just say: “Let me think about that tomorrow.”
I don’t write anything down because if I forget it by the morning it was not that important.
And weirdly enough that helps me to fall asleep quickly. My mental worries are addressed, reassured and planned.
I’ll make time the next day to explore them properly!

And when necessary I plan an “Sit ‘n Think” moment in my agenda to address all those things.
Also personal things. Decisions are made then or formulated to discuss with others later.

I prefer to plan those moments in the morning because my brain just works the best then, i’ve learned!

I plan time to pre-think.
Not in bed. Not in panic.
And when random ideas or worries pop up during the day?
I write them down immediately, into my “brain dump”
Not to fix them now, just to get them out of my system and revisit them later, when the timing is right.

Stillness fuels movement

The most surprising thing I’ve learned:

Still moments, those quiet, empty, no-input moments, often lead to the most clarity and activity afterwards. Not everything has to be efficient to be effective. Sometimes a moment of nothing creates the conditions for everything to fall into place.

So now I schedule think-time. I protect slow mornings. I park impulsive ideas and revisit them with fresh eyes.I rest my brain before it forces me to.
And weirdly enough, I get more done. Better. Faster. And with less friction.

Doing nothing is also recovery

And let’s not forget: doing nothing isn’t just good for your brain, it’s good for your body too.

I had to learn that the hard way. Like many freelancers, I spent years running on adrenaline, deadlines, and the pressure to always be on. Until my body, and my head, started pushing back. Tired. Unfocused. Achy. Overstimulated. Running low without ever really refuelling.
So yeah, I now treat rest like a priority. But let me be honest:
It’s still an active mindset for me. A conscious shift. Which is kind of a contradiction, I know—having to work hard at resting.

But it’s real.

Taking intentional downtime, without scrolling, without consuming, without producing, is how I let my system recalibrate. Let the nervous energy settle. Shoulders drop. Breathing slow down.

That “doing nothing” is actually doing a lot.
It’s maintenance. It’s mental hygiene. It’s fuel for the next run.

And I’ve noticed: when I actually allow that space, I come back sharper, calmer, more focused—without forcing it. Not from pushing harder. But from stepping back… and letting things settle.

Turns out that doing nothing is part of doing the work.

Who knew?