What is the Niksen technique?

What is the Niksen technique?

The Dutch term "" literally means "to do nothing." The Niksen technique, increasingly known and practiced since it was created in the Netherlands, is the art of having free time, creating spaces in the day of conscious inactivity, in which the only objective is simply to be. It is an active response to counterbalance overcrowding and acceleration in today's world.

Our body and mind are regulated by creating a balance between activity and rest. We need both to be able to feel good and stay healthy. If we overstimulate the system, it is when health problems appear that can become chronic: stress, anxiety, (or syndrome of being burned out). Thus, far from being a trait of laziness or even an antisocial trait, doing nothing can be a form of recharge batteries and, therefore, a promoter of mental and physical health.

Take a break, get out of your daily business, and give yourself permission to just be idle, without blaming yourself. Spend time and energy sitting still, looking out the window, or even wandering aimlessly, letting your mind wander without pretense.

Although it may be similar to the Niksen, it is a different technique. It does not focus on the present moment and on creating awareness of what surrounds us in that moment. The Niksen is focused on the mental recovery through rest, letting the mind seek its own resources, going where it needs to without self-censorship.

Technologies and consumerism would be the main enemies of Niksen, since they take us away from stillness and disconnection.

Which has benefits?

Paradoxically from what can be guessed, inactivity promotes productivity. Let's look at some of the main benefits:

• Improves physical and mental health by reducing exhaustion. Keeping the brain permanently occupied reduces the capacity for attention, memory and reasoning.
• Increase energy.
• Promote creativity.
• It helps us to relativize situations and prioritize the important thing.
• Makes us more efficient, Since by reducing emotional overload and improving concentration, we can perform tasks more easily.
• Help solve problems, by broadening our perspective. We gain in personal resources and it makes it easy to think in alternative ways.
• Improvement self-awareness and self-esteem.
• Regulates our state of mind, being more relaxed.
• Emotional connection and concentration. By being less agitated, we can enjoy activities more in general and be more focused.
• Facilitates projection into the future, helping to set goals and stay focused on them.
• Improve sleep. By reducing stress we are less upset and rest better.

How to practice it?

The true potential of the Niksen technique is achieved when several short pauses throughout the day. It is much more effective if it is practiced in a brief but frequent that if we are a long time few times. It is a technique that needs regularity.

If possible, gradually extend the duration as you get comfortable with the technique. You may feel at first that you are wasting your time and that worries you, surely all the things that you have pending will come to mind. Just wait and let go, allow your neurons to create new connections and new learning to take hold.

One of the advantages of Niksen is that you can put it into practice anywhere, not only at home, but also at work, in the park, on the bus ... You only need to turn off all external stimuli (mobile included) and connect with yourself.

• Allow yourself to daydream, go to safe mental spaces, remember, project ... If you are at home, you can also make yourself a tea, take a bath, or lie on the sofa. Practice the Dutch concept "gezelligue", which would be the well-known Danish equivalent "hygge", which refers to promoting an environment of well-being.

Some tips that can help you:

• Intentionally looking for times for the Niksen. Unprejudiced.
• Get out of the culture of ultra-productivity. Vacate freely for moments.
• Use time-outs to practice it whenever you can: while you wait in line at the supermarket, walking the dog ...
• Make it a habit on purpose. Make doing nothing a goal.
• Transform your schemes: It is not laziness or laziness, it is a training in disconnection.
• The habit makes the monk. Look for times in your agenda to practice the Niksen or even set alarms to remind you every so often.
• Be patient. Learning requires repetition, practice. Don't throw in the towel if you don't find immediate benefits.
• Create the right environment. Adapt your usual spaces to facilitate practice, it will help you create habits. Find a special place where you can sit comfortably, orient your furniture towards the window rather than towards the television, wear comfortable clothes, look for facilitating elements: anti-stress pressure balls, kinetic sand, Kung Fu Chio (or Baoding health balls), etc. .

• The Niksen technique, increasingly known and practiced since it was created in the Netherlands, is the art of having free time, creating spaces in the day of conscious inactivity, in which the only objective is simply to be.
• The true potential of the Niksen technique is achieved when you take several short breaks throughout the day. It is much more effective if it is practiced briefly but frequently than if we spend a long time few times. It is a technique that needs regularity.
• It may be that at first you feel that you are wasting your time and that worries you, surely all the things that you have pending will come to mind. Just wait and let go, allow your neurons to create new connections and new learning to take hold.

Health Psychologist and Psychotherapist at Teladoc Helath