The Art of Piddling

Good morning, friends! Today I’m thinking about the all-important art of piddling. It’s a year-round activity, but NOW is an ideal time to perfect it. Heat has moved into northwest Arkansas and unpacked its suitcase. Our okra and squash are super happy about it. Of course, there’s nothing surprising about swampy afternoons and a few well-placed mosquito bites, after all, we are on the downside of July. But when the humidity is this intense, piddling around in the house or garden may be the only good option.

What is piddling? And how do we perfect it?

Let’s start with a clarification. I am not referring to a toddler peeing, although some people call it that. 😂

Another definition points to triviality, such as “I earn a piddling amount for each book sale.” (#TrueStory)

No, I am talking about a different use of the word.

I consider the art of piddling as a gentle rebellion against the hustle culture—a way of moving through the day with no grand agenda, no urgent to-do list, just a soft curiosity about what might catch your attention. Piddling allows the mind to wander and wonder, to create a space for new ideas to form. Problems tend to untangle themselves quietly in the background. In this slower rhythm, small pleasures are magnified.

Piddling leads to better observation, which often leads to finding treasures.   

Synonyms for ‘piddling’ might be ‘tinkering’ or ‘puttering,’ but really, these verbs have a slightly different meaning to me. Imagine tinkering with a broken lawnmower or puttering in the shed, looking for a specific tool. Tinkering with a lawnmower is piddling only if the end goal isn’t to repair the thing.

Piddling connotes a certain amount of aimlessness.

Places and Ways to Piddle

Doodling is a type of piddling, one that I can easily get lost in, especially when working on phenology.

Sometimes I piddle with writing, which is a valuable activity for anyone wanting to actually write a novel. Writing for fun sparks the imagination and leads to more effective writing.

The kitchen is an excellent place for piddling. Flipping through recipes with the idea of cooking something new at some point. Rearranging the items on the refrigerator shelves. Tidying the pens in your junk drawer. These low-key activities may result in a bit of productivity, but that’s not the point. It’s about doing something because it feels enjoyable in the moment.

Piddling in the Garden

My FAVORITE is garden piddling. I do this almost daily, especially during the summer.

Garden piddling involves tending to the small things outside. Deadheading a few spent marigold flowers. Pulling a couple of weeds. Searching for spicebush caterpillars in the early morning. By starting my day this way, I notice more and feel a bit more at peace about the crazy things going on in our world.

It.Makes.Me.Happy.

Not kidding—when I found a swallowtail caterpillar on the fennel a few days ago, you’d have thought I found the cure for age spots!

Let’s all perfect the art of piddling, shall we?

Like most things, piddling looks different for everyone. The only way to do it wrong is not to do it at all. Of course, there are times in our lives—those child-rearing and career ladder-climbing years, for example—when free time is a real luxury. But now that I spend lots of time creatively, piddling has become an important part of my day. (Free therapy, y’all!)

I should probably point out that piddling can’t be your sole life purpose. If that’s all we do, we move squarely into the bonafide slacker category. (Balance. It’s key to everything.) 

In a world that measures time in efficiency and output, the art of piddling honors the valuable in-between moments. It reminds us to measure time in enjoyment. And I think that’s something we desperately need.

Have you been embracing regular moments of purposeless piddling? I highly recommend it! 

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.