The Lost Art of Doing Nothing

How the Dutch Unwind with Niksen

By: Maartje Willems

Narrated by: Kate Mulligan

A timely guide on how to make the most of your life when there’s nothing to do (whether by choice or not) - niksen is the new Dutch philosophy teaching us how to rest and relax.

“The best thing about niksen is the absence of a goal. It doesn’t serve a purpose, but it’s wonderful.”

Don’t you think it’s time for a break? Plagued - as we are! - by nonstop pings and notifications, we have lost the knack of zoning out. Kicking back. Slacking off. Even when pandemic-induced lockdowns forcibly cleared our calendars, many who thought I’m free! filled their days with Netflix and doomscrolling. How can we reclaim our free time (planned or not) to truly rest and reset?

The Dutch have it figured out: with niksen. Perhaps their best-kept lifestyle secret, niksen is the art of doing, well, nothing. It’s the opposite of productivity, and it’s incredibly good for your:

• Mind - It makes you calmer.
• Body - It offers rest on hectic days.
• Creativity - It clears a space for brilliant ideas, and
• Wallet - It’s free!

If you’re waiting for an invitation to go lie down in the sunshine, this book is it.

©2020 Uitgeverij Unieboek | Het Spectrum bv. Translation © 2021 by the Experiment, LLC (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

A good evening read!

A good book to relax to or listen to in the morning. Gives good insight on different cultures and ways to ease our days.

Only critiques I really have are the random tangents that appear here and there that don’t correlate to the topic very well, and the outdated and very obviously millennial references.

Besides that, it is a useful read if you’re one who has a difficult time relaxing, overworking yourself, or feel guilty when focusing on yourself.

Niksen for corporate my fav piece

Must listen so soothing and real..I liked the idea of adapting habit of Niksen till you attain peace