As we roll toward the end of the year, you can almost feel the collective exhale. Work slows down, the kids finish school, and suddenly everyone is talking about “plans” for the break. And if you’re anything like most people, even your downtime starts to feel suspiciously like a to-do list.
Rest… but be productive about it.
Relax… but make sure you’re getting something out of it.
Recharge… but don’t waste time.
It’s a bit ridiculous when you say it out loud, isn’t it?
So here’s a gentler idea for your summer: make space for atelic activities. They’re one of the simplest ways to recover properly, and the research behind them is surprisingly strong.
What on Earth Is an Atelic Activity?
“Telic” means doing something for a clear end goal.
Get the degree.
Run the marathon.
Lose five kilos.
Finish the job.
These things matter, but they’re always pointing you toward the future.
Atelic activities, on the other hand, have no finish line. No outcome. No achievement waiting for you at the end.
They exist entirely in the moment.
Think…
Pottering around the house.
Reading for fun.
Walking with no destination.
Drawing, doodling, daydreaming.
Playing with the dog just because she’s cute.
They feel light because they aren’t trying to get you anywhere. You’re not doing them in service of a goal. You’re doing them because they feel good, right now, in this moment.
Why Your Brain Loves This Stuff
Here’s where the psychology comes in, and it’s worth paying attention to.
Research shows that people who view leisure as “unproductive” or “a waste of time” have higher stress, anxiety and depression. The simple belief that rest must be justified actually makes you less well.
On the flip side, those who regularly engage in leisure for leisure’s sake report higher life satisfaction, better health satisfaction and richer emotional wellbeing. Arts, gentle movement, culture, casual hobbies, these things measurably lift mood and support mental health.
And because atelic activities are entirely unfocused on outcomes, they nudge your brain into a state that is soothing rather than striving. You stop living in the future for a moment. You come back to now.
For most of us, this is the exact reset we need after a full year of responsibilities, expectations, and constantly being “on”.
The Philosophical Bit, But I Promise It’s Useful
Philosopher Kieran Setiya talks a lot about the difference between telic and atelic activities. His point is simple:
If your whole life is made up of goals, you spend most of your time either chasing the next thing or recovering from the last thing.
It’s no wonder midlife crises happen, you’re always sprinting toward the next milestone, and the moment you reach it, it disappears. There’s no lasting satisfaction in telic living because the reward is always temporary.
Atelic activities, though, give you a completely different kind of meaning. They’re not finite. They don’t end. You can always do more of them. And while you’re doing them, you’re actually in your life, not racing through it.
It’s a very grounding way to live.
Why This Matters Over Christmas
This time of year is perfect for practicing this.
The pace drops.
Your routine loosens.
There’s permission, social permission, to slow everything down.
But many people still fill the entire break with telic tasks: home projects, fitness goals, financial planning, self-improvement, productivity hacks. And while those things have their place, if you don’t balance them out you’ll end the summer just as wrung out as you started it.
This is where atelic activities shine. They give you a way to rest that’s genuinely restorative. A way to connect with yourself. A way to feel present again.
And a calmer nervous system heading into the new year is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.
How to Actually Do This
Here are some gentle, realistic ideas:
• Take a walk with no destination
Not a step-count goal. Not a fitness mission. Just a wander.
• Read something purely because you enjoy it
No learning agenda. No personal growth. Just pleasure.
• Sit in the sun with a drink and do absolutely nothing
Yes, nothing. Let your brain defrag.
• Get lost in a hobby
Painting, gardening, cooking, music, but do it playfully, not productively.
• Spend time with people without an agenda
No need to “catch up properly” or “work through anything”. Just be together.
And if you have kids? They’re masters of atelic living. Copy them.
Final Thought
Life needs both:
Goals that lift you forward and moments that hold you still.
This summer, give yourself a chance to settle. Let something be unstructured. Let joy be pointless. Let rest be rest, not another project.
And if you want support working healthier rhythms into your year, whether it’s stress, movement, recovery, or performance, I’m always here to help.
Is coaching right for me? Hit this link and let’s have a chat to find out.