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Niksen

Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing

by Olga Mecking

Narrator Lucy Price-Lewis

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Length 5 hours 4 minutes

Language English

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Summary
About the author

The Dutch people are some of the happiest in the world. Their secret? They are masters of niksen, or the art of doing nothing.

Niksen is not a form of meditation, nor is it a state of laziness or boredom. It’s not scrolling through social media, or wondering what you’re going to cook for dinner. Rather, to niks is to make a conscious choice to sit back, let go, and do nothing at all.
With this book, learn how to do nothing in the most important areas of your life, such as:

AT HOME: Find a comfy nook and sit. No technology or other distractions.

AT WORK: Stare at your computer. Take in the view from your office. Close your eyes.

IN PUBLIC: Forget waiting for the bus, enjoy some relaxing niksen time.

Backed with advice from the world’s leading experts on happiness and productivity, this book examines the underlying science behind niksen and how doing less can often yield so much more. Perfect for anyone who feels overwhelmed, burnt out, or exhausted, NIKSEN does not tell you to work harder. Instead, it shows you how to take a break from all the busyness while giving you sincere, heartfelt permission to do nothing.

Religion Self-Improvement Health Nonfiction Body, Mind, & Spirit

Olga Mecking is a writer, journalist, and translator based in the Netherlands. She contributes to The New York Times, The Guardian, The BBC, The Atlantic, and many other publications. She is the reporter who made Niksen big, her New York Times article on the subject was shared over 100k times. Since then, she has been interviewed by numerous media on the topic, from written news and blogs to radio shows.