Waarom niets doen goed is voor je hoofd

What is “niksen” in Dutch?

Niksen is the Dutch verb for doing nothing on purpose, and around 2019 it briefly became a global wellness export. The New York Times, Time, and Olga Mecking’s book Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing spread the idea that the Dutch had a unique relationship with idleness. The actual word is just niks + -en (“to nothing-verb”). Dutch people use it casually and aren’t always sure when foreigners started treating it as a spiritual practice.

In this clip, mom lies still: “Ik neem eventjes vrij van de gedachten in mijn hoofd.” Her explanation: “Van niets doen raakt mijn hoofd leeg. Dan komt de plek vrij voor nieuwe ideeën.”