Niksen
by Olga Mecking
The Dutch art of doing nothing: not mindfulness, not meditation, just sitting without purpose, and why it is restorative and increasingly rare. Mecking covers the science of idleness and the cultural permission the Dutch give it. It is short and makes a modest, useful case.
Read it if…
you cannot sit still without a task and would like to be able to.
Skip it if…
you already rest easily.
Three things you will actually use
- Doing nothing is restorative; schedule it.
- Idleness feeds creativity.
- Permission is the obstacle; give it to yourself.
Do this first
Sit for ten minutes doing nothing, no phone, no breath counting, no goal.
Our verdict
Short and modestly useful.
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Distributed work, clearly stated.
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