In a world that always wants you to be productive and on the run, stopping to do nothing isn’t laziness—it’s a revolutionary act of creativity.
- Niksen, what’s that? It’s the Dutch concept that celebrates the art of doing absolutely nothing, without a specific purpose.
- Against toxic productivity. We live with the anxiety of having to fill every single minute, but this empties our minds instead of enriching them.
- The brain on vacation. When you get bored, you activate the “Default Mode Network,” a brain state that consolidates memories and sparks brilliant ideas.
- It’s not laziness, it’s strategy. Niksen doesn’t mean lazing around all day, but intentionally allowing for “empty” breaks to recharge.
- How do you practice it? Just look out the window, sit on a bench without your phone, or leave a 15-minute gap in your schedule.
- The new luxury. In an age of constant overstimulation, the real luxury isn’t having more things to do, but the permission to do nothing.
Is Your Schedule Full but Your Mind Is Empty? Maybe You Need a Bit of “Nothing.”
Have you ever looked at your calendar and thought it resembled a nightmare-level game of Tetris, with every time block fit together with millimeter precision to maximize productivity? Our to-do lists are longer than a grocery list for an army regiment, and the idea of having a free hour gives us a slight sense of vertigo. The result? We are perpetually busy, but often feel strangely empty, as if we’re running at full speed on a treadmill that leads nowhere. As if for every task completed, there are 10,000 more to do. It never ends.
If you see yourself in this description, you probably don’t need another time management app or a new method to be even more efficient. Perhaps the solution is the exact opposite. Maybe you need a healthy, rejuvenating, and powerful dose of nothing.
Niksen: The Dutch Art of Doing Nothing (and Why It’s Revolutionary)
From the Netherlands, the land of windmills, tulips, and pragmatic people, comes a concept as simple as it is disruptive: Niksen. It literally translates to “doing nothing,” but its meaning is deeper. It is the art of allowing yourself moments of deliberate inactivity, without a purpose, without a goal, without the pressure of “having to” do something. It’s not meditating, because meditation still has the goal of achieving mindfulness. It’s not watching a TV series, because you are still consuming content. Niksen is simply… existing. It’s watching the traffic flow by outside your window, observing the clouds change shape, sitting on a bench without even the excuse of waiting for someone.
In a world that pushes us to monetize every hobby and turn every passion into a “side hustle,” the idea of doing nothing for the sheer sake of it sounds almost like an act of rebellion. And that’s exactly what it is: a small, quiet revolution against the tyranny of always being busy.
The Upside of Boredom: What Happens to Your Brain When You Stop Keeping It Busy
Our culture has demonized boredom, labeling it as an enemy to be fought off with notifications, podcasts, and endless scrolling. But what if we told you that boredom is actually an ally of your mind? When we stop bombarding our brain with external stimuli, we finally give it permission to do what it’s programmed to do: think freely.
Scientists call this state the Default Mode Network (DMN). It’s a kind of “screensaver” mode for the brain that activates precisely when we are not focused on a specific task. And what does the brain do in this mode? It works magic. It consolidates memories, connects seemingly distant ideas, finds unexpected solutions to problems that have been tormenting us, and, in short, brings order to chaos. It is in these moments of apparent emptiness that the best ideas are born, the ones that seem to come “out of nowhere.” That “nowhere” is actually your brain finally having the space to work for you, instead of against you. Fighting boredom is like silencing your most creative side.
3 Ways to Practice Niksen Today
Integrating Niksen into your life doesn’t require a three-day course or a spiritual retreat. It just requires a bit of courage: the courage to stop.
The “Stare Out the Window” Break
This is the purest and most accessible form of Niksen. Instead of grabbing your phone in the break between two emails, get up, go to the window, and for five minutes, just watch what’s happening outside. Don’t analyze, don’t judge. Just observe. The leaves moving, a person walking by, the color of the sky.
The Bench Appointment (Without a Smartphone)
Find a bench, in a park or a public square. Sit down. And do nothing else. Leave your phone in your pocket. At first, you’ll feel uncomfortable, almost guilty. That’s normal. Resist the urge to “do something.” After a few minutes, your mind will start to wander. Let it. That’s where the magic begins.
Leave a 15-Minute “Gap” in Your Schedule
When you plan your day, deliberately insert a 15-minute slot labeled “Nothing.” It’s not a coffee break, it’s not a social media check-in. It’s an appointment with emptiness. A non-negotiable space dedicated to mindful inactivity.
Boredom Is the New Luxury
In an age where we are all perpetually connected and reachable, true luxury is no longer about owning expensive objects or having exotic experiences to post online. The real luxury is disconnection. It’s reclaiming the right to your own time and your own mental space. Getting bored isn’t a sign of laziness, but an act of profound self-care, a way to protect your mental health and fuel your creativity. It is the most counter-current and necessary thing you can do for yourself.