Kleine Auszeiten im Alltag: Für ein leichteres und unbeschwerteres Leben

by Tom Hodgkinson

» Kleine Auszeiten im Alltag ist eine ebenso kurze wie nützliche Anleitung für das müßige Leben. In 24 Kapiteln erläutert das Buch die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten, nichts zu tun. Diese kleinen Tricks können überall angewendet werden, und das bei geringen bis gar keinen Kosten. Indem Sie den simplen Schritten folgen, wird sich Ihre Anspannung verflüchtigen, Ihr Leben wird vergnüglicher und einfach gut.«
Unterhaltsam und kurzweilig zeigt Tom Hodgkinson, wie Auszeiten zu einem festen Bestandteil im Alltag werden können. Von entschleunigender Lektüre und Tagebuchschreiben über die Wiederentdeckung alter Spiele, besondere Formen der Meditation bis zum Waldbaden und ziellosen Flanieren in der Stadt-- hier ist für alle etwas dabei. Und dass zudem die schönsten Dinge im Leben häufig umsonst sind – das zeigt dieses Buch mit erfrischender Leichtigkeit.

116 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2023

About the author

Tom Hodgkinson (b. 1968) is a British writer and the editor of The Idler, which he established in 1993 with his friend Gavin Pretor-Pinney. He was educated at Westminster School. He has contributed articles to The Sunday Telegraph, The Guardian and The Sunday Times as well as being the author of The Idler spin-off How To Be Idle (2005), How To Be Free (released in the U.S. under the title The Freedom Manifesto) and The Idle Parent.

In 2006 Hodgkinson created National Unawareness Day, to be celebrated on 1 November.

Reviews

[Lee Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Tom Hodgkinson's writing for some time, and in the way he defines it, I'm definitely an idler. In fact, I recently managed to land the highly enjoyable task of writing the Slow Tech column for The Idler magazine, so do look out for my pieces. :) When I saw that he had a new book out, I was very keen to read it.

It's an in-house publication, essentially a spin-off from The Idler magazine itself, and consists of twenty-four short and simple essays about how to create a bit of enjoyable idleness in your everyday life. It's about escaping the worst horrors of modern consumer capitalism, embracing freedom, and having a bit of fun in a world that seems to create and encourage stress and misery. There's handy "inaction points" at the end of each chapter to help you make life a little bit more idle.

There's a good selection of topics covered, encouraging reflection, self-sufficiency, reading, binning social media, and being more sociable. If you're familiar with Hodgkinson's writing, none of this will be new stuff, but it's presented in a simple and appealing package, and once you've read this, I'd strongly recommend going on to "How To Be Idle", "How To Be Free" and the great selection of articles in The Idler's regular magazines, and on the website.

A nice light and easy read, but with plenty to think about and (not) do. Perfect if you want to make some changes and live life a little better, and it's probably a perfect time to be thinking about things like this.

[Dan Relluchs · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's nice to read something that's even a little subversive. A book that's opinionated about enjoying a more idle life, lightly influenced by Epicureanism. As pretty much the target audience I enjoyed it!

[Mrs Schuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great super quick read.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Tom Hodgkinson’s writing style, which effortlessly incorporates personal observations, poetry, ancient philosophy and references to medieval customs throughout.

I read this book very quickly, partly due to its short length, but also as I loved reading each page and didn’t want to put it down.

As I experienced whilst reading ‘How to be Free’, I certainly don’t agree with all of Tom’s takes. However, I am a big fan of his work and have been further pursued to embrace idling wherever possible!

[James Greening · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I like the theory behind this book and there were some great suggestions for slowing down one's life in this chaotic modern world. However, there were some fundamental philosophical inaccuracies portrayed in the book that, for me at least, left me begging for something more congruent and more well-thought out. This is the problem with independent publishing and lack of professional editors. The book could have been a 5 star, but instead ends up being mediocre.

[Aisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice lazy holiday read while contemplating a Tuscan view. At least some of the ideas are achievable while also looking after children and not all of them rely on having someone else do your work for you.

[Trish Graboske · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cheerful and informative book of contrarianism.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t just do something, sit there!
Full disclosure, I’m an Idler subscriber (so got this book for free) and I’m an overall fan of the concept of living a more idle life.
These 24 lessons in idling are charming illustrations of how idyllic life could be if one is willing to make the effort to be idle.
It’s a quaint, middle-class book of quaint middle-class ideas.
I particularly enjoy the ‘inaction points’ of practical guidance at the end of each section.
Reflecting on what it means to be an Idler, however, raises a couple of issues not addressed in the book.
The first is that Idling, as espoused here, feels like an inherently privileged worldview - it’s easy to be idle when you’re not being systematically or structurally marginalised, and are content with the status quo. Sure, you’re ‘sticking it to the man’ by getting off the productivity hamster wheel, but you’re also abandoning those without the necessary financial and social safety nets to become idle themselves. Idling here is essentially selfish.
Which brings me to the second point. Idling is presented as a distinctly solitary affair - taking yourself off to the woods or to stare at a wall. There are a couple of exceptions (feast and games), but otherwise the vision of Idling here is somewhat antisocial.
I can’t fault it as a manual for solo-idling, but with these ego-centric issues I see it as an incomplete guide for a good life as an Idler.

[Roy McCarthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 2007 I read one of Tom's first books, 'How to be Free'. It chimed with me and was the final nudge I needed to make a big life decision. Not one of idleness to be sure, but to change my standard world viewpoint that one should work for a boss until age 65 at which stage one could relax, travel, die. 16 years later, Tom continues to play the same tune, no doubt on the ukulele. While I still subscribe to his aspirations for us all, I find this book something of a rehash of what has gone before. Maybe that's because I'm now retired and have jumped off the hamster wheel to embrace much of his teaching. However I do commend this book to others yet to be converted. The ancient philosophers were, in the main, correct.

[Snehith Kumbla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ideas suggested in this slim edition may be things that we have known all along. But to do nothing and enjoy it remains an endangered art, and Idler magazine editor Tom Hodgkinson points out how idling is a lost art and requires commitment and practice.

So from keeping a diary to avoiding travel, staying in bed to wandering the city, there are some nice pointers here on idling a day away, which at once is a revolutionary idea in a world of busybodies.

Good, thought-provoking, action...I mean inaction-inducing read.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of good ideas here for being a lay-about, which is what I am striving for!

My friends have made me do too many things this month, and after this weekend when I am being forced into more activity, I plan to sit on the front porch and read all summer.

[George Russell-Stracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody idlingly lovely. Reassuring in it’s encouragement to just do nothing for a boy second. So refreshing and entertainingly written.

[Michiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fun little book. Something to work on. I’m not much of an idler.

[abs!! · Rating 5 out of 5]

the best book ive ever read.