Doing Nothing is Harder than it Sounds

“Niksen”is Dutch word meaning doing nothing.

I tried. Honestly, I did.

The past academic year was intense: multiple projects, studies, home life, and many decisions to make.

Then someone said to me: "Now try to relax. Do nothing."

So I filled my calendar with meetings and overloaded my to-do list.

Because me? I don’t really know what “doing nothing” means.

Then a conference I was supposed to attend got cancelled, and some of the workshops I was scheduled to lead were also cancelled due to the situation in my home country.

And suddenly - I had time.

A lot of it.

At first, it felt uncomfortable. The pause was loud.

So I chose to do something else. Something I love.

Something I used to do and had forgotten how much I enjoyed: creative work.

People who are constantly in motion often struggle to stop.

Stopping brings noise: thoughts, guilt, the urge to be productive.

In my experience as a CBT therapist, I know that this "noise" is often what keeps us from truly resting.

So instead of “doing nothing,” I recommend switching one kind of “doing” for another.

Not goal-oriented work, but space-making activity:

A walk in nature. Music. Coffee with a friend. A film. A quiet moment.

Something that softens the noise.

Today, I organized my craft supplies and made a new sign for my office (see photo).

That, too, is a kind of  “Niksen” - one that works fine for me.

I believe we can redefine doing nothing into something more personal:

Intentional quiet. Mindful space.

And you,

How do you "do nothing"?

Or rather: What do you choose when you pause?