Doing Nothing. We Recommend This.

There is a Dutch verb, niksen, that means doing nothing. Not meditating. Not journalling. Not listening to a podcast while walking the dog. Literally nothing. And before you dismiss it as a luxury you cannot afford, it is worth understanding what your brain is actually asking for when it runs on empty.

What niksen actually means

Niksen is not a formal technique so much as a permission. It involves allowing your thoughts to occur without judgment, interpretation, or direction. You are not trying to achieve calm or solve a problem. You are simply being present in your own awareness, without a goal and without a screen. It is similar in spirit to mindfulness, but without the structure. No breath counting, no apps, no timers. Just the sounds around you and the natural wandering of your mind.

Why we find it so hard

Most of us fill every available moment with input. We listen to podcasts during our commutes, scroll through feeds during any pause in the day, have the television on as background noise, and use technology as a default response to even the mildest discomfort with stillness. When was the last time you sat for thirty minutes without doing anything at all? Genuinely nothing? If you are struggling to recall, you are not alone. Our brains are overwhelmed with information, our schedules are dense, and the pull of distraction is constant. The idea of deliberately opting out of stimulation can feel almost counterintuitive. Yet this is precisely what the brain craves when it needs to recover. The consequences of chronic busyness are well documented, and we explore them further in our post on how busyness rewires the brain.

The science behind doing nothing

Mindfulness research has consistently shown that non-judgmental awareness of the present moment supports psychological wellbeing. This includes reducing rumination, anxiety, worry, and the tendency to over-engage with distressing thoughts and emotions. What niksen adds to the conversation is the idea that even informal, unstructured downtime, without any explicit mindfulness practice, allows the brain to consolidate, rest, and reset. This is not the same as distraction. Watching television or scrolling your phone diverts the mind rather than resting it. Niksen, by contrast, gives the brain space to do whatever it needs without being pointed anywhere in particular. You can read more about how rest functions as a genuine tool for performance in our post on why rest is a productivity tool, not a reward.

How to start

You do not need a special environment or a long block of time. Start with five to ten minutes. Find a space away from your phone and television. Sit somewhere with natural light and sound. Wear something comfortable. Let your mind wander wherever it goes, without judging the thoughts or trying to redirect them. There is no goal to pursue and nothing to achieve. That is the point. If you find it genuinely difficult, that discomfort is informative. It may be worth exploring why stillness feels so uncomfortable, and what it is you are keeping at a distance by staying so busy.

Final thoughts

Before you invest in a lengthy meditation practice or sign up for a mindfulness course, try simply sitting down with no distractions and doing nothing. Your brain is probably asking for exactly that. If you would like to explore relaxation, rest, or stress management in more depth, our team at Contemporary Psychology in St Kilda is here to help.