Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing

By: Olga Mecking

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Synopsis: 'Niksen is an increasingly popular Dutch relaxation technique where you relinquish control and just ... stop. At a time when meditative practices can feel like yet another thing to do, niksen is liberatingly simple' the Guardian The Dutch concept of niksen comes at no cost and zero effort. It's literally doing nothing, but consciously so.In this concise and witty book, Olga Mecking will provide tips on how to niksen in the most important areas of your life: work, home and leisure. Talking to experts from around the world, she reveals how doing nothing can make you happier, more productive and creative. In addition, we are given a fun glimpse of Dutch culture to show us why the Dutch are one of the happiest people in the world and why they are so good at doing nothing every once in a while. We all have a concept of what doing nothing means to us, but do our ideas actually correspond with the truth behind niksen? A common hurdle towards embracing idleness, for example, is that we feel the need to be productive, contributing members of society. In fact, even the Dutch tend to say, niksen is niks or, in English, doing nothing is good for nothing. That constant need to work can lead to more stress, decreased mental wellbeing and paradoxically, being less productive. Stress and burnout are on the rise. The antidote: Niksen.