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The Lost Art of Doing Nothing: How the Dutch Unwind with Niksen
“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 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 . . . If you’re waiting for an invitation to go lie down in the sunshine, this book is it.
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 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 . . . If you’re waiting for an invitation to go lie down in the sunshine, this book is it.
160 pages, Hardcover
Published March 16, 2021
282 people are currently reading
1264 people want to read
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November 13, 2022
This is the book that teaches us the art of doing nothing. This simple and effective method is discussed in-depth in this book.
What I learned from this book
1) What is niksen?
Niksen is the Dutch art of doing nothing. The author perfectly depicts it in this book.
"Niksen is the absence of any other activity. The Dutch dictionary defines niks as a variation of niets, meaning "nothing," so the verb niksen means "to do nothing." It has distinct overtones of disapproval. As in, "Look at that one, sitting on his ass all day, not getting anything done." It doesn't sound as meditative as we'd like. Then there's the associated niksnut, or "good-for-nothing," another negative term. Someone who doesn't do anything useful, who doesn't contribute anything to society, is a niksnut.
"Niksen is suddenly, in an unguarded moment, having nothing to do and not finding something new to do. Or instead of doing an activity, niksen is canceling it and replacing it with absolutely nothing at all."
2) Why is it said that we are drowning in self-help books?
Self-help books put forward a tricky proposition. Some of them are actually good and lead us in the right direction. But others will try to build toxic positivity and deflect our life towards an unwanted direction we should never aspire to.
"The phenomenon of burnout has given rise to a multimillion-dollar industry of self-help to counter its negative effects. Vinkers takes a more skeptical view and believes that simple life lessons like "Spend more time doing nothing" are not very effective. He and the philosopher Jeroen de Ridder wrote that "[self-help] tips, however well-intentioned, are useless: You wouldn't tell a soldier suffering from PTSD to eat more healthily or a single mother in a poor neighborhood to find a hobby." We are all different, living different lives, and we have different responses to stressful problems. There is no ready-made solution. That's why we're drowning in self-help books."
3) What are the methods that will help you to get a good night's sleep?
Maartje Willems is taking excerpts from Arianna Huffington's book, The sleep revolution, to enlighten us on tips for getting a good night's sleep.
"1) Switch off your devices thirty minutes before you go to bed.
2) Take a bath before you go to bed.
3) Put on your PJs.
4) Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
5) Don't drink caffeine after 2:00 pm.
6) Only use your bed for sleep and sex.”
4) What are the different types of stressors?
The author outlines the four types of stressors put forward by "psychiatrist Witte Hoogendijk and the journalist Wilma de Rek."
“1. Concrete and acute (a lion about to tear you to shreds)
2. Concrete and chronic (the earth on the verge of overheating)
3. Abstract and acute (a nasty thought that suddenly pops into your head: Maybe your house is on fire because a paper napkin has fluttered onto a sandwich maker. Did you remember to switch it off? Do you have insurance?)
4. Abstract and chronic (the constant feeling that you're falling short in every way)."
My favourite three lines from this book
“It’s hard to admit to bore-out, because it makes you sound like a bit of a nerd.”
“It’s a paradox: Life is beautiful, dying less so, yet it’s death that makes life more beautiful, or at least special.”
“Japan is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s also home to chowa, a philosophy about the search for a balanced life.”
What could have been better?
There are many diseases caused by sitting idle. The author should have given this book some more time to point out these negatives.
“The drawback of doing nothing is that it doesn’t burn a lot of calories.”
The second problem associated with this book is related to the audiobook version of it. It doesn't show full justice to this book compared to the printed version. As I used both formats for reading this book, I recommend you to opt for the printed version over the audiobook of this book.
Rating
3/5 Apart from the novelty of the new concept, niksen, there is not too much new information for us in this book. The author still somehow manages to refreshingly give the familiar ideas in a new way with good pictures and layout.
May 4, 2021
Should I say something?
Geeez... I don't want to do anything... Just nothing 😊😊😊
Geeez... I don't want to do anything... Just nothing 😊😊😊
June 15, 2022
mi mamá me llega a ver sentada haciendo el arte de no hacer nada y me pega un sopapo en la nuca
November 21, 2021
Since I have recently embarked upon my journey of discovering new self-development book titles, I am tempted to pick up any book that proposes a unique concept of living. This is when I stumbled upon the introduction of Niksen lifestyle from the Dutch, along with this very book itself. Well-aware of the idea of Dutch people being good at doing nothing, accompanied by the fact that the country is ranked as one of the happiest destinations to live in, I could not help having high expectations to pick up this book and give it a go.
*Morgan Freeman’s narrative voice* Her expectations, however, were rather short-lived.
Let us first start on some light notes:
The book certainly includes several beautiful and eye-catching illustrations, which (I suppose) helps add to the readers’ joy of reading. Moreover, one can say that this book does its job of introducing the concept niksen, along with providing certain realistic and clear examples of how Dutch people unwind in their everyday lives. Another bright side of the book lies in its sufficient background research, with comparisons to different concepts from other countries such as the Swedish concept of hygge, or the Japanese ikigai lifestyle. In my opinion, this contributes to the diversity in the reasonings of the book.
However, there are some problematic issues within the book worth pointing out. To begin with, as much as I enjoy getting to know about the term niksen, the execution of the concept was rather poor:
“Back to niksen. It could have been nietsen. Get a move on, stop nietsen! But it sounds too much like “Nietzsche” and would only cause confusion. Niksen sounds robust, like an activity. It has class, swagger. It sounds presidential—and I’m not talking about the soft, stinky cheese. I’m busy niksen! It sounds important, and so it is.”
Personally, I would not say this is an appealing tone of writing to suggest the history of any word to the readers. In addition, the book is composed of mainly messy discussions with an ineffective attempt to link the storyline to the concept at hand. More specifically, I have difficulties at times trying to connect the reasoning lines and external examples to the purpose of the whole book.
“... Sometimes, an escape is necessary. One practical solution is the restroom. Perhaps not the most hygienic environment for your little act of resistance, but let’s face it, every revolution demands small sacrifices. So how do you go about taking a nap in a restroom? Sit down in the cubicle with your clothes on, slumped. It would be good to have a beanie or a hoody to pull down over your eyes, so you can really disappear into dreamworld for a while.”
Um... what the heck did I just read?
Last but not least, there have been quite some weak, not to mention inappropriate arguments throughout this book. Perhaps some of the quotes gathered below might help illustrate my viewpoints:
“Mindfulness is to niksen as Kate Middleton is to Meghan Markle. Here’s how. Having survived the many years of mudslinging by the British tabloid press, Kate is now proudly doing the royal wave as the future queen of the United Kingdom. Meghan, meanwhile, stuck it out for a year before “doing a runner and going her own way. Kate has a higher purpose and is extremely disciplined. Meghan has no staying power and does her own thing.”
Whether this line is a joke or not, it is a no go for me. And when it comes to comments on Dutch people themselves, this is what the author has to say:
“Fools that we Dutch are, for years we looked to the Americans with their big achievements and eighty-hour workweeks. We should have been watching more Italian films, which could have taught us a thing or two about il dolce far niente. Or else to American films set in Italy, like director Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name, which takes place during a seemingly never-ending summer in which the characters do sweet nothing all day, their days punctuated only by breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
And of course, it would not have been a motivational book without a massive ending statement:
“We’re ready to become the people who love doing glorious nothing. It’s time to go from the disapproving "Stop being a lazy so-and-so" to the encouraging "Oh nice, you’re doing nothing!”
Overall, I am utterly surprised at my ability to finish the book, given so many of its cringe-worthy moments. Oh to keep count of the number of times I have eyerolled while reading this book, I think I was able to see parts of my skull at some point.
Don’t get me wrong, I am truly intrigued by the notion of niksen, however, I am seriously doubt that the book has done the term its justice.
Simply put, this is just not it.
*Morgan Freeman’s narrative voice* Her expectations, however, were rather short-lived.
Let us first start on some light notes:
The book certainly includes several beautiful and eye-catching illustrations, which (I suppose) helps add to the readers’ joy of reading. Moreover, one can say that this book does its job of introducing the concept niksen, along with providing certain realistic and clear examples of how Dutch people unwind in their everyday lives. Another bright side of the book lies in its sufficient background research, with comparisons to different concepts from other countries such as the Swedish concept of hygge, or the Japanese ikigai lifestyle. In my opinion, this contributes to the diversity in the reasonings of the book.
However, there are some problematic issues within the book worth pointing out. To begin with, as much as I enjoy getting to know about the term niksen, the execution of the concept was rather poor:
“Back to niksen. It could have been nietsen. Get a move on, stop nietsen! But it sounds too much like “Nietzsche” and would only cause confusion. Niksen sounds robust, like an activity. It has class, swagger. It sounds presidential—and I’m not talking about the soft, stinky cheese. I’m busy niksen! It sounds important, and so it is.”
Personally, I would not say this is an appealing tone of writing to suggest the history of any word to the readers. In addition, the book is composed of mainly messy discussions with an ineffective attempt to link the storyline to the concept at hand. More specifically, I have difficulties at times trying to connect the reasoning lines and external examples to the purpose of the whole book.
“... Sometimes, an escape is necessary. One practical solution is the restroom. Perhaps not the most hygienic environment for your little act of resistance, but let’s face it, every revolution demands small sacrifices. So how do you go about taking a nap in a restroom? Sit down in the cubicle with your clothes on, slumped. It would be good to have a beanie or a hoody to pull down over your eyes, so you can really disappear into dreamworld for a while.”
Um... what the heck did I just read?
Last but not least, there have been quite some weak, not to mention inappropriate arguments throughout this book. Perhaps some of the quotes gathered below might help illustrate my viewpoints:
“Mindfulness is to niksen as Kate Middleton is to Meghan Markle. Here’s how. Having survived the many years of mudslinging by the British tabloid press, Kate is now proudly doing the royal wave as the future queen of the United Kingdom. Meghan, meanwhile, stuck it out for a year before “doing a runner and going her own way. Kate has a higher purpose and is extremely disciplined. Meghan has no staying power and does her own thing.”
Whether this line is a joke or not, it is a no go for me. And when it comes to comments on Dutch people themselves, this is what the author has to say:
“Fools that we Dutch are, for years we looked to the Americans with their big achievements and eighty-hour workweeks. We should have been watching more Italian films, which could have taught us a thing or two about il dolce far niente. Or else to American films set in Italy, like director Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name, which takes place during a seemingly never-ending summer in which the characters do sweet nothing all day, their days punctuated only by breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
And of course, it would not have been a motivational book without a massive ending statement:
“We’re ready to become the people who love doing glorious nothing. It’s time to go from the disapproving "Stop being a lazy so-and-so" to the encouraging "Oh nice, you’re doing nothing!”
Overall, I am utterly surprised at my ability to finish the book, given so many of its cringe-worthy moments. Oh to keep count of the number of times I have eyerolled while reading this book, I think I was able to see parts of my skull at some point.
Don’t get me wrong, I am truly intrigued by the notion of niksen, however, I am seriously doubt that the book has done the term its justice.
Simply put, this is just not it.
June 29, 2022
Audio book.
I was waiting to understand HOW to niksen, throughout this book. Chapter after chapter went by and still i wasn’t sure what my takeaway from the book was going to be. And that feeling stayed, until I realised I heard the words “You’ve just finished the book “The lost art of doing nothing”.
I understood what niksen was NOT. But I don’t know if I have understood what it actually is. This may be a conceptual issue rather than a fault of the writer. Perhaps niksen is best explained by a negative definition rather than a positive one.
Okay, hold on. Maybe there IS a takeaway from this book - I have all the symptoms of stress listed in this book. But how exactly do I reduce it through niksen? Not really sure.
2 stars given for the decent collection of quotes and research about the need for niksen, which was up to date w. r. t. issues like effects of social media and covered the differences between how men and women deal with stress (which should be mentioned more often than it is) appropriately.
I was waiting to understand HOW to niksen, throughout this book. Chapter after chapter went by and still i wasn’t sure what my takeaway from the book was going to be. And that feeling stayed, until I realised I heard the words “You’ve just finished the book “The lost art of doing nothing”.
I understood what niksen was NOT. But I don’t know if I have understood what it actually is. This may be a conceptual issue rather than a fault of the writer. Perhaps niksen is best explained by a negative definition rather than a positive one.
Okay, hold on. Maybe there IS a takeaway from this book - I have all the symptoms of stress listed in this book. But how exactly do I reduce it through niksen? Not really sure.
2 stars given for the decent collection of quotes and research about the need for niksen, which was up to date w. r. t. issues like effects of social media and covered the differences between how men and women deal with stress (which should be mentioned more often than it is) appropriately.
December 29, 2020
I love that cover and I love THE LOST ART OF DOING NOTHING! Learn how to rest using the Dutch practice of Niksen, in which you reach a kind of meditative state without thoughts by doing absolutely nada. That “space” is healing and much more than it seems. It provides a deep respite for mind, body and spirit — soooooooo needed to cope with COVID angst.
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 30 Mar 2021
#TheLostArtofDoingNothing #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, The Experiment, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 30 Mar 2021
#TheLostArtofDoingNothing #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, The Experiment, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
December 31, 2021
This book is so bad. Don’t read it.
I picked it up to learn more about the Dutch concept of “niksen,” which means doing nothing. Daydreaming. Sitting and being, without needing to be productive.
I’m an American with Dutch ancestry. I’ve been really stressed lately, so I thought I’d get some solid advice from the homeland on how to step back and quit being in high gear all the time. I should have chosen an article instead.
It seems that this book tries to capture the spirit of niksen with clever, breezy language and cute illustrations. Instead of being cozy and familiar, the text is full of shallow generalizations and unconnected ideas.
And then there’s the racism. I was cruising through the book, frequently rolling my eyes and saying, “What the hell?”, when I got to this paragraph in a section on mindfulness.
“Mindfulness is to niksen as Kate Middleton is to Meghan Markle,” it starts. I held my breath. Where was this going?
“Having survived the many years of mudslinging by the British tabloid press, Kate is now proudly doing the royal wave as the future queen of the United Kingdom. Meghan, meanwhile, stuck it out a year before doing a runner and going her own way. Kate has a higher purpose and is extremely disciplined. Meghan has no staying power and does her own thing. Surely this analogy is crystal-clear and in no way flawed.���
My jaw hit the floor. Pitting these women against each other then erasing and negating vicious, racist attacks on Meghan was completely unnecessary for this book. Why even go there, and why feed negative narratives against Meghan that are clearly based on racism? It doesn’t cost any money to walk away from the topic and chose a better analogy, but clearly the author and editors didn’t see a problem.
I will never understand this kind of nonsense. I read the paragraph through several times, trying to understand the point. I had friends read it to see if I was missing something.
Nope. The paragraph makes no sense and appears to try to give the author cover for yet another random and unprovoked attack on Meghan Markle.
I picked it up to learn more about the Dutch concept of “niksen,” which means doing nothing. Daydreaming. Sitting and being, without needing to be productive.
I’m an American with Dutch ancestry. I’ve been really stressed lately, so I thought I’d get some solid advice from the homeland on how to step back and quit being in high gear all the time. I should have chosen an article instead.
It seems that this book tries to capture the spirit of niksen with clever, breezy language and cute illustrations. Instead of being cozy and familiar, the text is full of shallow generalizations and unconnected ideas.
And then there’s the racism. I was cruising through the book, frequently rolling my eyes and saying, “What the hell?”, when I got to this paragraph in a section on mindfulness.
“Mindfulness is to niksen as Kate Middleton is to Meghan Markle,” it starts. I held my breath. Where was this going?
“Having survived the many years of mudslinging by the British tabloid press, Kate is now proudly doing the royal wave as the future queen of the United Kingdom. Meghan, meanwhile, stuck it out a year before doing a runner and going her own way. Kate has a higher purpose and is extremely disciplined. Meghan has no staying power and does her own thing. Surely this analogy is crystal-clear and in no way flawed.���
My jaw hit the floor. Pitting these women against each other then erasing and negating vicious, racist attacks on Meghan was completely unnecessary for this book. Why even go there, and why feed negative narratives against Meghan that are clearly based on racism? It doesn’t cost any money to walk away from the topic and chose a better analogy, but clearly the author and editors didn’t see a problem.
I will never understand this kind of nonsense. I read the paragraph through several times, trying to understand the point. I had friends read it to see if I was missing something.
Nope. The paragraph makes no sense and appears to try to give the author cover for yet another random and unprovoked attack on Meghan Markle.
February 19, 2022
This book isn’t bad, and the concept of Niksen is solid and intriguing, but it seemed a bit dull at points. There are other, more entertaining books on the topic. Unless you want to read them all, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to read this one.
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
June 28, 2023
3.5 Stars I listened to this while doing yard work, so maybe that didn't help me embrace the whole art of doing nothing. I liked some of the concepts, but felt like some parts were not realistic.
January 9, 2023
The concept of Niksen is intriguing, but I think the book hasn’t been able to handle it well. It describes it without making the reader feel a connection to it. Without attempting to explain the how, it makes a strong effort to sell the notion. Well to be fair the title actually does not mention that how part – it only says how the dutch do it.
I found the Chapter Niksen around the world, which talks about various analogous concepts from Japan, India and Asia. The list is decent and has some quite intriguing quotes, so I would utilise it when choosing books in the future.. So 2 stars for that.
Another plus is that it was over soon.
I wasn’t persuaded by the book to follow the art of doing nothing. I have decided to read another book instead of doing nothing. 😎
I found the Chapter Niksen around the world, which talks about various analogous concepts from Japan, India and Asia. The list is decent and has some quite intriguing quotes, so I would utilise it when choosing books in the future.. So 2 stars for that.
Another plus is that it was over soon.
I wasn’t persuaded by the book to follow the art of doing nothing. I have decided to read another book instead of doing nothing. 😎
March 12, 2021
I am obsessed with how this book looks. The cover is very eye catching and the illustrations inside are just as beautiful as the cover! I love reading books similar to this because it helps remind me it is okay to not do anything at all. It is important to sit and relax and should be a daily habit. I enjoyed the topics they go over and learning more about NIKSEN. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.
May 24, 2024
Recently, Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys, father-in-law of UK's current Prime Minister, but most importantly responsible for transforming lives of millions of Indians in the late 90s and early 2000s, opined that youngsters should work at least 70 hours a week.
I reckon, if Mr. Murthy reads this book, he might get a heart stroke.
I reckon, if Mr. Murthy reads this book, he might get a heart stroke.
October 2, 2022
This is a book after my own heart 🤭❤️
I love how the Finnish, Danish, Dutch, Japanese have words for almost everything even when that thing is "doing nothing". Well we Bengalis do as well "lyadh" duh. Haha.
Jokes apart, Reading Niksen just like Ikigai,Hygge and Lykee, was like coming home. A calm, serene beautiful short read. I recommend you read these books slowly, over the period of a month, reread chapters, apply, think, journal about a chapter you read, think some more, walk, make tea, read some more...you get the picture.
In a nutshell, just slow the eff down. And 'Do Nothing' once in a while.
I love how the Finnish, Danish, Dutch, Japanese have words for almost everything even when that thing is "doing nothing". Well we Bengalis do as well "lyadh" duh. Haha.
Jokes apart, Reading Niksen just like Ikigai,Hygge and Lykee, was like coming home. A calm, serene beautiful short read. I recommend you read these books slowly, over the period of a month, reread chapters, apply, think, journal about a chapter you read, think some more, walk, make tea, read some more...you get the picture.
In a nutshell, just slow the eff down. And 'Do Nothing' once in a while.
August 9, 2024
This assigned reading (thanks, @Wendy ;) ) definitely has some great thought starters, theories, concepts, etc. ... But I don't know that it made me feel any better about doing nothing!
July 31, 2022
wish I had just done nothing instead
May 19, 2021
If you would have asked me weeks ago if I need more niksen in my life, I would have given you a look of confusion. Now, thanks to this cute little book, I get it. Niksen is a Dutch term that means doing nothing, having no goal, no purpose. I love this. However, it's not as easy as we think. It isn't cuddling your cat (or guinea pig as they suggest in the book), binge watching something you probably didn't even want to watch in the first place but somehow ended up addicted to, or rearranging your paper clips. It's about the absence of anything and doing nothing for no reason at all. The authors do a great job of explaining what niksen is and what it is not. It is somewhat similar to meditation, which I practice daily, but there are several differences.
But how does one go about doing (or not doing) niksen? That's the key question bound to plague readers. Myself included. Although I do feel this book gifts us the background and green light for doing nothing and feeling good about it. The illustrations are also fun and quirky and the quotes from public figures and social scientists are relatable and elevate the book.
And oh, yes, I definitely need more niksen in my life. Don't we all?
But how does one go about doing (or not doing) niksen? That's the key question bound to plague readers. Myself included. Although I do feel this book gifts us the background and green light for doing nothing and feeling good about it. The illustrations are also fun and quirky and the quotes from public figures and social scientists are relatable and elevate the book.
And oh, yes, I definitely need more niksen in my life. Don't we all?
February 8, 2023
Niksen is the art of doing nothing. Unplug from social media and let your mind wander. Let your mind go blank so you can actually focus and think without distractions. It’s a great concept. I personally only go online once a day, maybe once a week. I don’t watch tv unless it’s football or hockey lol. Reading is my way to unwind and learn so many new things. If Americans could learn to let go from work when it’s 5 pm I think families would be better.
August 10, 2021
This cute little book on the Dutch word of "niksen" was a fun, insightful little read on the art of doing NOTHING. It covers stress, burn out, being overworked, lacking creativity, etc. The illustrations are adorable. I loved this one!
July 12, 2022
That ended quickly. Now that's a positive...!!!
April 13, 2021
I felt like this book was a lot of ways that people can kill time, and how the world is trying to prioritize doing nothing, but every other page it would say "but, of course, this isn't niksen". But then again, how much of a book can you dedicate to an art of literally doing nothing? I read this in an ebook format, but it seems like it may be a nice colorful experience if I read it in a physical format. Ultimately, I'm not sure how much this book adds to the niksen commentary. But a light read.
November 28, 2024
Fine but nothing revolutionary. It felt unfocused and superficial, coming from a place of privilege. The concept is supposed to be about doing nothing, but a definition for niksen isn't explored. There were even some sexist remarks that left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm happy to be introduced to the topic, and I'll learn more about it elsewhere--something supported with sociological research about different cultures and how the human drive for productivity has shifted.
November 2, 2021
Doing nothing is the best thing that you can do...the authors spend a book explaining precisely that.
Our Germanic language cousins have offered several words over the last few years to help us, and the rest of the world, get more out of living; lagom, lykke, hygge, fika, and now, niksen. All of them different approaches to relaxation, and ultimately, happiness -- true and deep pleasure in Life that is entirely internally created.
They offer the reader many examples of what it is not before gliding into a few examples of what it is. The evidence is rife for humans; we need to take a mental, and physical break from Life. Simply 'be', no goal, no intention, only existing with the thoughts fluttering through the consciousness. It's in these moments that wonderful ideas, and creativity can arise. "Our curiosity thrives in leisure", so there should be value in idleness-- what some might term 'lazy', which has no redeeming value in most languages. A quick perusal of a thesaurus proves there are no redeeming synonyms for 'lazy' in English. The grindstone is trained to be ever in front of our eyes, compelling us to continue to labor, even unto exhaustion, as somehow, that makes any relaxation acceptable to the wider society. Karl Marx's son-in-law authored The Right to be Lazy promoting the cause for our health, and sanity.
The authors share several studies from many disciplines that demonstrate with absolute clarity the importance of taking this time for ourselves to do absolutely nothing. They also teach the readers words, and phrases from other languages that should inspire us all to a deeper state of relaxation, such as Italian il dolce far niente "the sweetness of doing nothing", and Japanese shinrin-yoku "forest bathing". The Further Reading section, and all of the books suggested throughout the book, are excellent sources for understanding our human need for "nothing", and the scientific studies to show it.
Our Germanic language cousins have offered several words over the last few years to help us, and the rest of the world, get more out of living; lagom, lykke, hygge, fika, and now, niksen. All of them different approaches to relaxation, and ultimately, happiness -- true and deep pleasure in Life that is entirely internally created.
They offer the reader many examples of what it is not before gliding into a few examples of what it is. The evidence is rife for humans; we need to take a mental, and physical break from Life. Simply 'be', no goal, no intention, only existing with the thoughts fluttering through the consciousness. It's in these moments that wonderful ideas, and creativity can arise. "Our curiosity thrives in leisure", so there should be value in idleness-- what some might term 'lazy', which has no redeeming value in most languages. A quick perusal of a thesaurus proves there are no redeeming synonyms for 'lazy' in English. The grindstone is trained to be ever in front of our eyes, compelling us to continue to labor, even unto exhaustion, as somehow, that makes any relaxation acceptable to the wider society. Karl Marx's son-in-law authored The Right to be Lazy promoting the cause for our health, and sanity.
The authors share several studies from many disciplines that demonstrate with absolute clarity the importance of taking this time for ourselves to do absolutely nothing. They also teach the readers words, and phrases from other languages that should inspire us all to a deeper state of relaxation, such as Italian il dolce far niente "the sweetness of doing nothing", and Japanese shinrin-yoku "forest bathing". The Further Reading section, and all of the books suggested throughout the book, are excellent sources for understanding our human need for "nothing", and the scientific studies to show it.
January 13, 2022
"We're here on Earth to fart around"
The Lost Art of Doing Nothing explains how Niksen, a method concerning the importance of doing nothing, can dramatically improve your life.
Eh, it was alright. I would probably not recommend this book due to the repetition and fluff. There was a couple of points that really stuck out but the author's statement surrounding the fast-paced movement of our lives sincerely resonated with me. We're all scrambling to live life to the fullest and forget to slow down. We consider "wasting time" to be based on others' beliefs. This made me feel better about re-watching episodes of The Office over and over again.
Overall, this book seriously gave me an existential crisis.
The Lost Art of Doing Nothing explains how Niksen, a method concerning the importance of doing nothing, can dramatically improve your life.
Eh, it was alright. I would probably not recommend this book due to the repetition and fluff. There was a couple of points that really stuck out but the author's statement surrounding the fast-paced movement of our lives sincerely resonated with me. We're all scrambling to live life to the fullest and forget to slow down. We consider "wasting time" to be based on others' beliefs. This made me feel better about re-watching episodes of The Office over and over again.
Overall, this book seriously gave me an existential crisis.
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February 20, 2023Has some really weird discursions, for example: comparing Meghan Markle unfavorably with Kate Middleton by saying something like 'Kate stayed and became Queen, Meghan is now nothing in history.' This segueway into loaded venom about Meghan Markle was confusing. Like why is this digression even necessary to insert in a book about resting and doing nothing?
Another one, straight from the book: 'people made fun of Paris Hilton and Kylie Jenner for being stupid party girls, but they are smart. They are the rich getting richer. It made them the youngest self-made billionaire.' ??? OK? Thanks for this self-help advice?
Another one, straight from the book: 'people made fun of Paris Hilton and Kylie Jenner for being stupid party girls, but they are smart. They are the rich getting richer. It made them the youngest self-made billionaire.' ??? OK? Thanks for this self-help advice?
July 3, 2021
I would give this book 3 1/2 stars if I had that option. The content of the book was thought-provoking and helpful, the illustrations were delightful, but parts of the book felt stilted. I wonder perhaps if it was trying too hard to come off as a lighthearted take on the serious problem of overwork. Still, I'm glad I read the book and will take things from it into my life in the future. So... 3 1/2 stars feels about right.
January 9, 2022
Eh….
While the idea of niksen holds great appeal, it doesn’t really get down down to the meat of niksen. The book seems to repeat itself a lot, and while there are some good ideas and wonderful ways to start, it does seem to chide you if you’re thinking too deeply of how/what niksen is.
While the idea of niksen holds great appeal, it doesn’t really get down down to the meat of niksen. The book seems to repeat itself a lot, and while there are some good ideas and wonderful ways to start, it does seem to chide you if you’re thinking too deeply of how/what niksen is.
October 21, 2022
I loved few topics in the book, something like it's not always bad to procrastinate and the title. Yes, it's tough to do nothing but it's explained well. Writing a long review will not be justifying the message so letting it here.
December 12, 2021
Nice, quick, and easy read. A little all over the place, but likely what the author was going for. Semi-informative, but not super robust!
August 31, 2023
2.75 - this was informational and interesting at points but overall i thought it was somewhat repetitive and similar to other books on creativity.
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