The Dutch Act Of “Niksen” Will Help You Live Your Best, Slow Life

Even during your downtime, you’re likely doing something. Tackling a TBR list, finishing a knitting project, catching up on a show — you get the idea. It feels good to have a hobby, especially since it’s tough to shake the unspoken rules of productivity culture that might make you feel lazy if you sit around and relax.

This is one reason why quiet walks, daydreaming, and slow mornings feel so wrong. It’s also why you might need Niksen more than you realize. Niksen is a Dutch verb that translates to “doing nothing.” From the country that brings you the coziness of “hygge,” it encourages you to lounge around, relax, or straight up stare into space.

Niksen isn’t a time to do hobbies, like baking or yoga, and it also isn’t a form of meditation. Instead of trying to be mindful with your hands folded in your lap, you set aside time to simply exist. It’s like a softer version of the “rawdogging plane flights” trend on TikTok, which is when people sit on long-haul flights with no book, movie, iPad, or music. Niksen is about zoning out in complete stillness, but it’s also very relaxing.

Here’s what to know about the phrase, according to a therapist, as well as how to give it a try, especially if you’re someone who struggles to sit still.

The Benefits Of Niksen

According to Angela Williams, LCSW, a psychotherapist and mindset coach, Niksen comes with a long list of benefits. The main point, per Dutch culture, is to prioritize rest, relaxation, and work-life balance, especially in a world that wants you to always be on the go.

Doing nothing gives your mind and body a chance to rest and reflect. “Imagine learning a new concept but having no time to sit with it, to understand it, or to learn how to apply it in your own life,” she tells Bustle. “Daily Niksen can help you reintegrate the thoughts, lessons, and emotions from the day.”

When you give your brain some peace and quiet, you might also feel more focused or creative when you return to your daily tasks. “Decreasing constant input allows you to tap into more clarity,” Williams says. “It can have a similar effect as meditation.”

A moment of Niksen can help your nervous system chill out, too. Instead of trying to stay up and active or worrying about completing something on your to-do list, you unplug and hang out. That, in turn, can make it easier to cope with stress and even get better sleep, says Williams.

It’s also a nice way to subvert societal expectations. “Niksen implies the absence of structure, purpose, or outcome,” she adds. You don’t have to fill your time, go out, entertain yourself, or get creative — and that can be incredibly refreshing.

How To Do Nothing

Doing nothing may sound simple, but when you’re used to filling every moment of your day, it can actually be difficult or boring. If you like the sound of Niksen and want to add it into your life, Williams recommends easing yourself in.

Start with a bit of quiet time in the morning. Take five to 30 minutes when you first wake up to relax in bed without your phone. You could also get up and wander around the house, drink coffee while staring out the window — or just sit and think.

At night, Niksen might look like chilling on your couch without watching a show, sitting on a park bench, or hanging out in your car while you eat a snack. Williams recommends enjoying a do-nothing moment at least once a day, but it’s also OK to Niksen when you have spare time, only on the weekends, or whenever it feels right. As long as you aren’t “doing” anything, you’re doing it right.

Source:

Angela Williams, LCSW, psychotherapist, mindset coach