Niksen, the Dutch art of doing nothing.
I'm not kidding when I say that the most niksen possibly what we have in Spain is our grandfathers and grandmothers. They really know what it's like to take time to think or relax your mind!** Those moments that retirees spend sitting on benches in the sun**, watching life go by and observing how society keeps rushing from side to side, it is the closest thing to niksen that we will find in our country. A thousand pardons if you are practicing it right now or know what I am talking about.
Let's go by parts.** What is niksen and where does this word come from?** With its barely 41,500 km2, The Netherlands is one of the smallest countries in the world but always appears in the ranking of the happiest . According to several studies by the World Health Organization, being a boy or a girl there is synonymous with having a happy childhood, or at least a healthy one. Firstly because they regularly enjoy outdoor activities, but above all because Dutch mothers and fathers opt for a relaxed motherhood . Forget rushing your kids to hundreds of extracurriculars and homework on Sunday mornings.
The Netherlands has one of the shortest working hours in the world , some condense only in four days; which is especially interesting to recover that leisure time, or in the case of parents, to be with their children.
The word Niksen , which is so much in the mouth of the Dutch today, literally means "do nothing" (yes, what cats do). A niksnut He is a person who does nothing. But far from what it might have seemed more than 10 years ago, now being a niksnut is ok.
'Niksen', the new book by Annette Lavrijsen.
"When he was young, Niksen still had a negative connotation of being lazy and not helpful . Whenever I was lying on the couch after school, my parents would scold me and find me a homework assignment. Niksen was a useless hobby , my parents said, something for a lazy Sunday or Christmas vacation. In my thirties, I still feel the pressure to fill my free time with purposeful, goal-oriented activities, but I think those out-of-the-blue moments my parents scolded me for, are necessary to be a more balanced and happy person ”, Annette Lavrijsen, author of the new book, explains to Traveler.es 'Niksen. The Dutch art of doing nothing' (Dome Books).
This book repeats like a mantra something very necessary in our days, “the power of doing nothing” . As a guide, structured in 7 didactic chapters, he reveals to us one of the great secrets of happiness in his country. “As a writer I have always been looking for ways to improve our mindfulness and mind-body balance. The best thing about Niksen is its simplicity : You can practice it anytime and anywhere. You just have to put yourself first, ”she stresses. But,** what is niksen and what is not?** how should we practice it (if you can see it this way, of course)?
Find your 'niksen' space. Claim it if necessary.
WHAT IS NIKSEN AND WHAT IS NOT
Surely you have experienced that moment of eureka!, that little light that turns on with a good idea or something ingenious that you had stored inside you. Well, I must tell you that, in all probability, arose after you relaxed your mind to the maximum . I don't think that moment came about while binge-watching Netflix or swiping through the latest Instagram updates. If you think that's niksen, read on.
First of all, for you to be in a niksen moment, an environment must have been created “gezelligheid" , namely, a relaxed atmosphere . Lighting a candle, a pleasant stroll through the countryside or around your city aimlessly, watering your plants, an afternoon without a cell phone, or simply stretching out in a hammock while looking at the sky.
If you are doing something useful or productive, it is not niksen . Allow yourself to do nothing, that includes meeting friends, family, answering emails or anything else that is stressful for you at the moment. “Niksen is about prioritizing yourself. Every once in a while you need to hit that pause button and without feeling guilty every time you withdraw from your daily tasks ”, adds Annette.
There are times when we accept plans due to social pressure, but in reality what we want is to stand in front of the mirror and spend an hour doing that mask or that massage that we have been wanting for a long time but for which we never have time. It's okay if you don't respond quickly to that text or email, cancel an appointment, take the day off, or change your mind. That's what the Dutch think. Free time is something that should have greater value for us, as a society and as individuals.
One of the exercises proposed in the book of Annette Lavrijsen can be very illuminating. You just have to make a list using a scale from 1 to 10 with the things you do every day and that make you happiest. This list will show you if you are really allocating your time correctly.
What if you do nothing for the next 30 minutes?
HOW TO PRACTICE IT
Niksen can be a tool available to everyone, in fact, as the writer affirms can be practiced by those who do not have time because they can serve you up to 10 minutes. For example, ** having your work desk clean and tidy can already give you mental benefits **, or closing your eyes and traveling to a place or time that makes you happy for 10 is also worth it.
“The true potential of Niksen lies in the small breaks in everyday life . The trick is to do it short and often. If you're one of those people who always finds an excuse or something more "useful" to do, it can help to create fixed times in your daily and weekly schedule: start by taking a five-minute timeout, gradually increase it to 30 minutes, an hour, or even a full afternoon”, he explains.
**This would be a short list to get started in the niksen: **
1. Opt for a simple yoga sequence
1. Cook a recipe that you know by heart
1.Draw or write in a journal
1.Trial to knit
1. Go for a walk without a map
Traveling for the author is a very simple way to understand the niksen . The benefits it brings us on a mental level are exceptional because it allows us to take time to prioritize our personal needs. what we call holidays , but just as important is how to know how to relax on those days. It's not that easy to get sometimes.
“There is also the danger that during the holidays the brain sabotages our downtime. , because it is still in working mode. If your mind keeps firing off thoughts, engage in an easy physical activity that requires attention but poor cognitive skills like walking through a forest or a quaint little town, drawing or doodling, or snorkeling.”
Something she recommends is camping . “By camping we return to the basics, without the comfort and luxuries of your home. Without Netflix, wifi, dishwasher or game console, your only obligations are to sleep, cook, wash the dishes or look at the sky of stars.
Camping, the most niksen trip.
**NIKSEN AND THE PANDEMIC **
The pandemic has taken many things from us. Among them the possibility of being disconnected , whatsapp groups, news, social networks to keep up to date with everything, telecommuting... **where is that precious time left to be invisible in the digital world? **
Work life and personal life are more blurred than ever, one does not put limits on the other and without realizing it we have ended up writing and receiving work emails at 10 at night. What can be the solution?
“It may seem counterintuitive, but doing nothing can make you more productive. By taking a timely break from doing nothing, you restore and recharge your body and mind and improve your concentration. . Taking regular breaks prevents us from running out of energy and focus, reducing the risk of burnout and other health problems. It can also improve your self-awareness . We will be more selective in how we spend our time and, therefore, we will not waste it on tasks (and people) that have little value”, says the journalist.
In practical cases, wake up without mobile (do not take it as soon as you open your eyes), do not activate any device as soon as you get up , relax and enjoy what makes you happy in the morning (even if it only takes 5 minutes to do it). A coffee, a shower, comb your hair...
Eliminate those groups and applications that are a waste of time , use night mode, try slow reading. Every time you enter Instagram or any other social network, count the minutes you spend on it and ask yourself “ Is this really worth the time I spend on it? ”. You can choose a time of day to check the networks and thus avoid doing it continuously. I know niksen!