I was mindlessly scrolling through Twitter recently when I came across this new wellness “trend” called Niksen. It promised to promote relaxation and peacefulness so obviously I wanted to delve a bit deeper because who doesn’t want more of that?!
When we talk about wellness, we often find ourselves with even more things to do, self-care trends to try, or sometimes otherwise sophisticated things that most people have a hard time sticking too (hello, meal prep!). But, niksen feels a bit different.
What is Niksen?
Niksen promises something different…it promises NOTHING. It’s a European (read: Dutch) concept that literally means “doing nothing”. As we live our lives with continued focus on tasks and achievement, simply doing nothing can feel like a big breath of fresh air.
How comfortable are you with just sitting and doing nothing for 2 minutes? For most of us, it’s a pretty hard thing to accomplish. Whereas mindfulness invites us to be in the present moment with our minds and consciousness (and sometimes our bodies), niksen invites us to just “be” without any other real purpose. This could look like staring out a window or simply staring at your computer screen (not reading or working for two minutes). This tool from Calm helps you practice just that.
What are the benefits (and risks) of the practice?
It stands to reason that slowing down to do nothing can be quite relieving when your life otherwise feels so full of things to do or projects to tend to. The simple act of slowing down can be quite peaceful. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an easy thing to do.
For some people, this sitting and doing nothing might also bring up rumination and worries that are otherwise kept at bay by other distractions such as work or other responsibilities. In those instances, it’s best to start slowly – maybe even try 30 seconds of nothingness to start.
One major benefit of niksen is that it can help create more opportunity for creativity and inspiration to emerge spontaneously. Giving our minds a break often leads to some pretty cool creations. Also, brief periods of niksen might also help with creative problem solving, a problem that many folks with anxiety and worry struggle with.
Want to try niksen? Start small.
If you’re open to trying out niksen but worried it might be too difficult to sustain, then try to start in super small digestible bites. Take 15 seconds to just stare at your computer screen or a wall. I know it sounds pretty strange, but what if it works? Allow yourself to daydream. Niksen is all about letting your mind wander without purpose or intent. With continual practice maybe it will get easier to practice niksen for longer stretches of time.
And, as always, it’s important to remember that like any wellness practice some things don’t work well for everyone. There’s no shame in that. We all have things that work well for us but maybe not for a close friend or family member. That’s OK! There’s no once size fits all approach to living well. But, if you’re open to niksen, why not give it try?
Author: Jor-El
Jor-El is Co-founder of Viva Wellness and a foodie and film buff. He most often writes about mental health, relationships, food and mindfulness. When he’s not busy working, he typically can be found lounging or walking around NYC with his pup Nomi.
