Not much of interest here.  Good for a few laughs though.  I am not the target audience for this title I am sure.  In this year of Covid I believe I have already mastered the art.

What I liked:

It was a breath of fresh air to encounter a writer of a wellness book who wholeheartedly acknowledged that their strategy wasn't going to work for everyone, even if it was really simple. There's basically an entire chapter devoted to that topic and she takes the time to recommend similar but different alternatives for a few example cases.

I also liked all of the examples of Dutch culture throughout the book, and especially insights into things that have worked (or not) for the author before, and how a lot of this was due to where she lives, the Netherlands. (Though of course she's careful to emphasize that you don't have to be Dutch to practice Niksen).

What I didn't like:

Like a lot of books of this type, it felt really padded out to me. I don't think it had to be a book-length thing, though I acknowledge that getting all this information into a single article would have been tough as well.

I also didn't like how much she relied on Gretchen Rubin throughout. I have the impression by the end of this book that the two authors have at least a somewhat close relationship, because they seem to be in regular contact with one another. That's not an issue of course, but it seemed like at every turn the author would try to emphasize her points by pointing out the ways Gretchen Rubin agreed with her. Maybe other readers would disagree, but it was just too much of an appeal to authority for me.

Overall:

The book was too long, and for this reason I found much of it lacked substance. However, I would definitely say that the author did a great job of explaining exactly what Niksen is, why it's tough to do it, and how you can do more of it (and why you might actually not want to). So, I'd say for anyone interested in books about strategies for slowing down and improving general mental health it's a good one, but it wouldn't be my go-to recommendation either.

I can soooo relate. I have been wanting to find time to just stop and watch the clouds pass over head, of watch a sunset, or a moon rise... Just sit quietly and do nothing. It certainly is hard to give yourself permission to do that, isn't it?  I have heard it said that the Dutch are the happiest people on earth and I always thought it was the sprinkle! Seriously, who wouldn't be happy eating sprinkles on toast, butter bread, whatever! Then there is this this book- permission granted to just sit and be still in the moment. Most of us aren't trained to sit still and just daydream.  My family was keeping busy working! Every. Moment. Of. The. Day. If one had time to sit, something wasn't being done! We were assigned work. Never ended. Just exhausting!   I could be happy doing nothing. And with sprinkles on toast to keep me company, I'd be the happiest person on earth, too! Lovely book! I need to really slow down and sit still. I think we all do, actually. Covid-19 had ground things to a pretty nice halt. Maybe now is the time to get centered?

There is a whole abundance of those trendy lifestyle books based a specific aspect of certain cultures, and I've noticed many harsh comments about this type of books. I believe the only way anyone should approach this type of books is to consider them as an advice and a source of ideas that we can implement in our life and circumstances. It is not a dictate or 'must-do' if you don't feel like it.

I generally liked this book; it is always good and refreshing to read about another culture, life style and life philosophy. This particular edition is so cute it immediately caught my attention. Also, there are some (for me) really interesting facts in this book, so it was worth reading.

Many an off-day my (not-Dutch) friend would text me asking what I was up to, to which my answer would be ‘nothing’. And almost every time he would tell me to get of my lazy ass (after which I would inform him there is absolutely nothing wrong with my ass).

And then I saw this book on Netgalley and I just Had to read it. Because 1) I liked confirmation that I am not lazy, 2) I like to read/hear/see how other countries see us Dutchies, 3) how can one write 250 pages about doing nothing, and 4) if this doing nothing could make me happy, I needed to more about it.

And so I started this book. And foremost, Olga can definitely write. She has a very pleasant ‘voice’, making this an incredibly easy, accessible and just fun book. And sure, there were parts I couldn’t relate to. I don’t have kids, I don’t work in an office, … and still she managed to make even those paragraphs interesting.

However, I couldn’t quite connect to it. I spend a lot of the book thinking ‘yes, but…’. And that but was answered about 70% into the book. Because, the main reason I do nothing isn’t because I am taking a break. It is because I cannot motivate myself to get out of bed, so am just staring at the ceiling counting down the time till it is acceptable to go back to sleep. Until I inevitably have to go and take a piss.

Niksen is ‘doing something without a purpose’, allowing your mind to wander. It isn’t watching a movie, scrolling on Facebook, procrastinating, mindfulness or emotional labor. And guess what, the last thing I want on those days is for my mind to go wandering about. And luckily Olga says: ‘Just like any other trend, niksen may not work for everyone. [It] is simply not a good idea in some circumstances.’ One of those circumstances is being depressed, burnt-out, down, unmotivated (to get out of bed).

So, did I just read a book that book for nothing? Well, no… For one, I really liked the chapter about Dutch culture and send so many screenshots of it to my (not-Dutch) husband. Two, I won’t be down forever. I hope. So even though this book isn’t applicable to me now, it still made me aware of a ‘tool’ I could use in future. Three, the cheats.

Not everyone can just go and do nothing. So Olga showed us some things we can do whilst doing nothing, things that don’t take much thinking capacity, cheating our brain. Like listening to music, creating something (colouring, puzzling, knitting), and going for a walk. And guess what, I already do the later two… whilst listening to my audiobooks. So maybe there is hope yet for this Dutchie to one day master the Art of Doing Nothing.

I was so excited for this one and I expected to love it, however it fell flat for me. I think I hyped it up to be like the little book of hygge, which I adored. However Niksen did absolutely nothing for me.

A delightful book that can help anyone find a way to relax using small bits of time & learning the art of doing nothing. I loved all the great ideas in the book.

Like many other readers, I really enjoyed Meik Wiking's book on the Danish wellness concepts/ practices of Hygge and Lykke. So when I saw Niksen, by Olga Mecking, a book purporting to be about a Dutch lifestyle/ wellness practice, I was intrigued. And then I was delighted to be approved for an advanced digital copy from #NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The artistic layout of the book is attractive, and the concept of purposefully doing nothing sounded not only good in general, but especially good for the nonstop, ever growing stressors of life in 2020.

Here's the thing, though. Not only did readers like myself enjoy Wiking's books and similar, but publishers and authors presumably enjoyed the hype and sales that went along with those books. And so marketing another book as similar to those books became an increasing likelihood. Which would be fine, if that's what the book was actually about. But I realized early on in the book, actually in the foreword by the author, that this book is not like those previous popular books. Why? Because those books were about recognized Danish concepts and practices. Whereas Niksen is a concept made up by an author who is not Dutch, and who has admittedly only lived in the Netherlands for ten years. Regardless of her argument that being an outsider allows her to observe more objectively observe what the Dutch DO, not what they think they do, I still feel there's a basic level of disingenuousness in presenting and marketing a book as being about a Dutch practice when Mecking herself says in the introduction, "Critics, most of them Dutch, have accused me of pulling a trend out of thin air." If the people you are writing about tell you it isn't a practice in their culture, then maybe you should listen to them.

Does this make the concept of doing nothing a bad one? No, and I'm sure that the rest of the book lays out a lot of useful tips on how the practice of doing nothing can contribute to our overall well-being. However, that makes it a book about a wellness principle and practice, not a specifically Dutch cultural practice. Mecking goes on to say in the introduction "As you will find out, many cultures have some concept of doing nothing." If this is a general concept common to many cultures, why not write it and market it as such? Was this merely a decision by cynical publishers? Or a good faith but questionable approach originating with the author?

Either way, I found I had lost interest in the book, and did not read further than the introduction. I will probably try to find writing on the actual subject--the benefit of spending time specifically doing nothing, or as Mecking says, a practice that "does not mean to work, to perform emotional labor, or to be mindful." Mecking cites another author in the introduction, Jenny Odell, who wrote "How to do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy," and I may go look that book up instead, as I know what to expect with a title like that, and won't be receiving something misleadingly marketed as a cultural practice of a specific country.

Thanks anyway to #NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this temporary digital advanced readers' copy of #Niksen by Olga Mecking. This is my honest opinion.

Well written and informative as to why it is important for us to take breaks and do nothing. Not only explaining what doing nothing does to our brains but how it can affect our moods and productivity. I binged this read and thoroughly enjoyed it and even recommended it to friends to pre-order it. Didn't expect it to be such an easy read but also so insightful too as to why this is so culturally important in the Netherlands but why it also needs to be implemented elsewhere in other countries. Also, I enjoyed that Olga took time to acknowledge that not everyone would benefit from niksen and why those people wouldn't benefit. Definitely a well thought out book and a very valuable read.

We’ve all seen those trendy lifestyle books based a specific aspect of certain cultures: hygge, ikigai, lagom… and now “niksen”, which is apparently the Dutch art of doing nothing.
I picked up an advance reader’s copy of this book because I was curious what it would be like to read about Dutch culture from an outsider’s perspective, and because I'm always looking for new books on being more mindful and staying off my phone. It was certainly interesting and mostly accurate (we do love us some bitterballen), but as a born-and-raised Dutch person, I can assure you that “niksen” is a concept that was made up to cash in on the current trend of lifestyle books, and is not something that anyone here would consider a vital part of our culture. I felt like the book was more of a celebration of Dutch culture rather than actually being about the concept of doing nothing.
(If you want to see peak Dutch culture in action, get yourself invited to a kringverjaardag (a birthday party where all the chairs are set up in a circle) where, after congratulating each and every guest with the birthday of the jarige, you can enjoy blokjes jong belegen kaas (little blocks of cheese, often with tiny paper Dutch flags in them) and plakjes leverworst (sausage slices) while talking to someone's neighbor or relative about God knows what, feeling completely and utterly uncomfortable.)

I frequently found myself bored by this book and I really had to force myself to pick it back up every day. I was relieved when it was over. The book was too long and repetitive, and after reading a chapter I felt like I read nothing of substance. This book could have stayed the article it originally was.

I liked that the author emphasized that “niksen” isn’t for everyone. It may work for you, it may not. For my ADHD brain, it does not. Brb gonna hand in my Dutch passport. :(

I guess I’d recommend it to people who are interested in the Netherlands, but not necessarily to people who are interested in learning to do nothing. Check these out instead: How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life is a good one about reducing your smartphone use, and on my to-read list is How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, about actually doing nothing.

Cute idea but I anticipated a more casual read with lighter information and it felt like a research paper. Interesting idea but requires investment

Date reviewed: September 11, 2020

When life for the entire universe and planet turns on its end and like everyone else you "have nothing to do" while your place of work is closed and you are continuing to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation,  superspeed readers like me can read 250+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today. And it is way too hot to go outside, so why not sit in from of the blasting a/c and read and review books?? 

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.  

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

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 busy-ness while giving you sincere, heartfelt permission to do nothing.

Niksen seems like such a made-up word and concept to me so I googled it - "Niksen is a Dutch verb which means "doing nothing". It has been explored as a method to combat work-related health problems such as stress and burnout". (Wikipedia)   I also know a great number of Dutch farmer families that live near me and they NEVER stop working as not working means "no money".

The ideas here are great but I am too much of the idea "idle hands are the devil's work" ... no, I am not a religious nut, but I cannot see or imagine just SITTING when there are books to be read and reviewed, COVID19 masks to be made for charity, scarves to be knit for the homeless shelter, Sunday NYT crosswords to tackle, etc. etc. - I always have to be doing SOMETHING. 

The whole concept just looks like someone decided to jump on the hygge-lagom bandwagon and make some self-help book bucks. If you are looking for a way to calm yourself, or have an excuse to be unproductive, give it a try, but I am decidedly NOT the target market. If you are looking for a cute read, this may be your book and subject to try and emulate. until the next "concept: comes along. (In "Christmas Shopaholic" Becky makes up a word to sell stuff in the estate shop so I could not help but think that this was that kind of idea as well!)

This is a sweet little book about the supposed Dutch habit of Niksen, which the author says is the art of doing nothing and which she admits is a concept that many Dutch people have accused her of making up. It has come at a time when there are lots of similar books being written, all designed to convince us there's a happy magic to be found in just slowing down and not doing so much. I agree with this, but I don't think I'm the target audience as I already live this sort of life. Despite working from home and homeschooling 5 kids (2 graduated now) and living a pretty busy old fashioned life (foraging, gardening, canning, cooking from scratch and the like), I am remarkably capable at doing very little on a regular basis. :) I lie in hot baths reading books on my iPad, sit in the sun in the back yard with my 17 y/o getting sunshine, spend the afternoon at the lake with the kids and so on.

Reading this book seemed like as much a primer on Dutch life (and to some extent, why it's all better over there) as concrete ideas for "niksing." It has cute illustrations and is interesting, but I found it rather forgettable, unfortunately. It would be a great fit for someone who needs to be convinced to put down their iPhone, start saying no to extra commitments (which I suspect the pandemic has helped many do anyway) and just slow down. If you need someone to tell you why this might be a good idea or point you in some good directions to start, this will be a handy and encouraging little book.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Loved it. I couldn't wait to read it!
This book has stayed wirh me. I struggle-to do nothing. I am constantly on the go. This book provided a reset button, to stop take a breath and enjoy what I am doing-even if it is just sitting on my couch-doing nothing. 
The Author does an excellent job making a case for the 'value of doing nothing'  as a means of contemplation and reflection. I agree with her description that 'doing nothing can yield so much more." 

Thankyou NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!

jb
seniorbooklounge.blogspot.com

I wasn't especially impressed with this one, as it starts out claiming to be different from any other self help book out there; But really, it's just like every other self help book out there. The tips and suggestions aren't really for doing 'nothing'.

Interesting book about doing nothing and not feeling guilty about it,  It is an enjoyable read even though the parts about Dutch culture and daily life were the best bits rather than Niksen itself.  It is quite funny how all these things need defining and compartmentalising, and how there has to be a whole list of what it is and what it is not.  I have to admit I prefer things to be much more simple and to " just do nothing" on your own terms.  I am drawn to anything that aims to reduce stress and slow life down a bit so it is definitely worth a read.  Just pick the bits you like and enjoy.

This is a book about doing nothing, but I felt the text said nothing. It was redundant and poorly written without making a point beyond we should all do nothing sometimes. I read half before I gave up.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!
I was initially really excited to read this book because the concept seems extremely interesting and it still does. I'm just not a big fan of the fact that it seems like Niksen isn't as widespread as say hygge. and the author is almost trying to make it happen more. I could be completely wrong, but that is just the way I feel about it.

"Americans might be to focused on happiness which actually makes them miserable."  I double underlined this sentence.  When I sat down to read this ARC, I had to pause the podcast I was listening too and mute the TV.  I think I could use a little NIKS in my life.  This is a very interesting read and brings to light many comparisons between different countries and regions.  I particularly liked chapter 3 , "why is Niksen so hard?"  It's a good focus area, where does all the busyness come from? 

I enjoyed this ARC from NetGalley and look forward to purchasing a copy for my personal home library.

I enjoyed Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing by Olga Mecking.   This book is a light read and offers ideas to increase productivity and overall well-being by intentionally taking real breaks, doing nothing.  I was interested in reading this book because I work with Dutch colleagues and have been to the Netherlands many times over the years.  The author is from elsewhere but has been living in the Netherlands for 10 years -- long enough to have really experienced everyday life but still with some outside perspective.  I liked that aspect of the book a lot, hearing about people living and working in The Netherlands.  Perhaps those like me who have no problems sitting on a bench doing nothing in particular will feel the ideas in the book are not too innovative and really common sense.  And on the other hand those who really have no patience for wasting time may not give the ideas in the book credibility.  It’s probably best suited for those who appreciate breaks but have let themselves get too busy or have gotten caught up in mindless addictions like phone scrolling.  This is a cozy read that will remind you of the benefits of taking time off and share some insights into the Dutch culture.  I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book on Net Galley, all opinions are my own.