How to Practice Niksen: The Dutch Concept That Reduces Stress and Boosts Creativity

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We live in a culture that idolizes movement. Productivity has become an identity. Stillness, on the other hand, is often seen as weakness — something reserved for vacations, weekends, or burnout recovery.

But the Dutch have a different philosophy. They’ve built an entire way of life around balance, where rest isn’t indulgent — it’s necessary.

The philosophy? Niksen.

Niksen (pronounced neek-sen) literally means “to do nothing.”

It’s sitting by a window and watching clouds drift. It’s sipping coffee slowly without your phone nearby. It’s letting your thoughts wander, without trying to redirect them toward something useful.

In other words — it’s permission to just be.

What Niksen Really Means

Niksen is one of those ideas that sounds simple until you actually try it.

It’s not mindfulness (which asks you to observe) or meditation (which asks you to quiet your thoughts). It’s not even relaxation with a goal — like taking a bath or journaling to feel better.

Niksen has no purpose beyond presence.

It’s the conscious act of doing nothing, without trying to make it productive or “self-care adjacent.” It’s looking out the window and letting your mind drift wherever it wants to go — without judgment or expectation.

The Dutch created the term to describe a lifestyle that values pauses as much as progress. They don’t glorify busyness — they trust in balance.

In Dutch culture, Niksen isn’t something you “schedule.” It’s woven into the day — the way you might stop to chat with a neighbor, linger over your coffee, or ride your bike just for the sake of fresh air.

It’s small, effortless rest.

Niksen isn’t about doing less.
It’s about remembering that life is already enough.

Why We Resist Doing Nothing

When I first tried Niksen, I thought it would feel peaceful. Instead, it felt… weird.

My body was still, but my brain was sprinting.

I caught myself checking the clock. Thinking of things to clean. Planning content ideas. Trying to make my “rest” useful.

It made me realize how deeply wired I’d become for constant productivity — even my calm moments came with conditions.

We live in an attention economy that trains us to equate motion with meaning. Every spare second becomes an opportunity to scroll, achieve, or optimize.

But that overfilled state is why we’re so tired — physically, emotionally, creatively.

Niksen is the antidote. It’s how we interrupt the noise and let our nervous systems remember safety.

When you allow yourself to “do nothing,” your body exits fight-or-flight mode. Your breathing slows. Your heart rate steadies. Your mind starts releasing stored tension.

And once the noise quiets, something beautiful happens — you start hearing your own thoughts again.

The Science Behind Niksen

You don’t have to believe in spirituality to believe in Niksen — your nervous system already does.

When you rest, your brain switches into what neuroscientists call the default mode network — a state that allows for daydreaming, creativity, and emotional integration.

It’s why your best ideas show up in the shower, during walks, or while staring at the ceiling. When you’re no longer forcing thoughts to behave, they start to flow.

Niksen also lowers cortisol, the stress hormone that spikes with overwork and overstimulation.

A study from the University of Amsterdam found that people who engage in unstructured rest — not intentional relaxation or meditation — report higher levels of creative thinking and lower anxiety.

In other words: doing nothing actually helps your brain work better.

And beyond the science, it’s a return to something deeply human — rest as rhythm, not reward.

Your mind isn’t a machine. It needs pauses, not just sleep.

How to Practice Niksen

Stop multitasking and give yourself full permission to pause.

Here are a few simple ways to begin:

• Look out a window. Watch the light shift across your walls. Notice how your thoughts naturally wander.
• Sip something warm. I love making my favorite matcha latte blend in the afternoon — whisking, pouring, sitting in silence. It becomes its own quiet meditation.
• Lie down under your weighted blanket and feel the physical exhale that happens when your body realizes it doesn’t need to perform.
• Take a walk without your phone. Let the rhythm of your steps lull you into a soft drift of thought.
• Sit with your morning light. My sunrise alarm clock wakes me gently with light instead of noise — it sets the tone for a day that begins slow, not rushed.
• Stare at the sky. Daydreaming is Niksen in its purest form.

Start small — two to five minutes at a time. And when the guilt creeps in (because it will), remind yourself: this is productive. It’s just not measurable.

Niksen isn’t time wasted — it’s energy restored.

What You’ll Notice When You Begin

At first, Niksen might feel awkward. Boring, even.

But something subtle shifts with practice.

You start to feel more at home in your own company. Your creativity returns. You stop rushing to fill silences. You start trusting the slower rhythm of your life.

And then, something magical happens: You realize the world didn’t fall apart while you rested.

Niksen teaches emotional spaciousness — the ability to hold stillness without panic. It’s the space between thoughts, between tasks, between breaths — the pause that allows everything else to make sense.

How Doing Nothing Boosts Creativity

Paradoxically, doing nothing often leads to your best ideas.

When your brain isn’t busy reacting, it begins to create. The mind naturally connects loose thoughts, memories, and images into new patterns. That’s why so many of history’s most creative thinkers — from artists to scientists — built rest into their days.

Niksen isn’t a creative strategy. It’s creative soil.

It gives your subconscious permission to work without pressure, to explore without deadlines. And when inspiration returns — because it always does — it feels effortless.

The Emotional Healing Behind Niksen

Niksen isn’t just about relaxation — it’s also about reclaiming emotional space.

So many of us live in survival mode — constantly reacting, responding, accommodating. Doing nothing interrupts that pattern. It gives your nervous system the message: You’re safe now.

That safety slowly transforms into presence.

You begin to notice the sound of your breath again. The softness of your sheets. The way the afternoon light feels on your skin.

Niksen reconnects you with the small, sensory joys that make life feel full.

The Takeaway

Niksen is more than a cultural practice. It’s choosing to value presence as much as progress. It’s giving yourself permission to slow down before your body forces you to.

Practicing Niksen reminds you that joy and creativity don’t come from doing more — they come from noticing more.

It’s time spent not in production, but in peace.

So the next time your mind says you should be doing something, say back:
I am. I’m resting. And maybe, that’s the most important thing you’ll do all day.

FAQ: How to Practice Niksen

1. What is Niksen?
Niksen is a Dutch lifestyle concept meaning “to do nothing.” It’s the intentional practice of being unoccupied — simply existing without distraction or goal.

2. How is Niksen different from mindfulness or meditation?
Niksen doesn’t ask you to focus or observe. Unlike meditation, there’s no structure or breathing technique — it’s complete freedom to let your thoughts drift, to daydream, and to rest.

3. How do I start practicing Niksen?
Begin with short moments: sip your matcha latte slowly, sit quietly with morning light, or lie under your weighted blanket and let your thoughts wander. Start with five minutes, no phone or music.

4. Can doing nothing actually reduce stress?
Yes. Niksen lowers cortisol and activates the parasympathetic nervous system (your rest-and-digest mode). Over time, it helps regulate anxiety and improve focus.

5. How does Niksen boost creativity?
When you do nothing, your brain’s default mode network activates — processing emotions and connecting ideas subconsciously. That’s why creativity often blooms after moments of stillness.

6. What if I feel guilty doing nothing?
Remind yourself that rest is not laziness — it’s maintenance. Your worth isn’t tied to output. Guilt is just an old story; you can choose a new one.

7. When is the best time to practice Niksen?
Any time you’d normally reach for your phone — in the morning with your sunrise alarm clock, during your afternoon break, or at night when the world goes quiet.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa, Slow Living Enthusiast

Hi, I’m Lisa. I write about slow living, nervous system care, and creating calm, intentional routines for everyday life. After spending 10 years living in Europe, I learned firsthand the art of savoring moments, embracing simplicity, and letting life unfold at a more human pace. My mission is to help you soften the edges of modern life and create space for a more intentional way of living.