We are obsessed with being busy. If we have five free minutes, we check our email. If we have a free hour, we listen to a podcast to “optimize” our time.
However, constantly being “on” is destroying our creativity. We have forgotten how to be idle.
You need to practice Niksen. This is the Dutch concept of doing absolutely nothing on purpose.
This isn’t laziness; it is a mental reset. Here is why staring at the ceiling is the most productive thing you can do today.
What Is “Niksen”?
Niksen literally means “to do nothing.”
It is not scrolling Instagram (that is consuming information). It is not meditating (that is focusing on breath). Basically, it is just… existing.
It is staring out a window. It is watching a cloud move. It is sitting in a chair and letting your mind wander without a goal.
3 Reasons Your Brain Needs Silence
Your brain is a muscle. If you flex it for 16 hours a day, it tears.
1. It Restores Your “Default Mode Network”
When you stop focusing on a task, your brain switches to the “Default Mode Network.”
This is where the magic happens. Consequently, this is why you get your best ideas in the shower. Your brain finally has the bandwidth to connect random dots because you aren’t forcing it to work.
2. It Cures “Time Scarcity”
We always feel like we are “running out of time.”
However, when you sit and do nothing for 10 minutes, time feels slower. It expands. Practicing Niksen reminds you that you are in control of your time, not the other way around.
3. It Reduces Anxiety
Anxiety comes from worrying about the future.
When you practice Niksen, you are just looking at a tree or watching a cat sleep. Therefore, you are grounded in the present. It lowers your heart rate and signals to your body that you are safe.
How to Start (Without Freaking Out)
Start small.
Doing nothing is actually terrifying at first. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Put your phone in another room. Sit on the couch and look at the wall.
Expect boredom.
You will feel bored. That is the point. Boredom is the gateway to creativity. Push through the itch to pick up your phone.
Look at nature.
It is easier to do nothing when you are outside. Watch the wind move the leaves. It gives your eyes something soft to focus on.
Conclusion
Productivity is good, but rest is essential.
So, close the laptop. Ignore the phone. Embrace the awkwardness of silence. Your brain is begging for a break.
Tell me in the comments: When was the last time you did absolutely nothing for 10 minutes? It is harder than it sounds.
