• The Lost Art of Doing Nothing

  • How the Dutch Unwind with Niksen
  • By: Maartje Willems
  • Narrated by: Kate Mulligan
  • Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (7 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Lost Art of Doing Nothing  By  cover art

The Lost Art of Doing Nothing

By: Maartje Willems
Narrated by: Kate Mulligan
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $11.66

Buy for $11.66

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

A timely guide on how to make the most of your life when there’s nothing to do (whether by choice or not) - niksen is the new Dutch philosophy teaching us how to rest and relax.

“The best thing about niksen is the absence of a goal. It doesn’t serve a purpose, but it’s wonderful.”

Don’t you think it’s time for a break? Plagued - as we are! - by nonstop pings and notifications, we have lost the knack of zoning out. Kicking back. Slacking off. Even when pandemic-induced lockdowns forcibly cleared our calendars, many who thought I’m free! filled their days with Netflix and doomscrolling. How can we reclaim our free time (planned or not) to truly rest and reset?

The Dutch have it figured out: with niksen. Perhaps their best-kept lifestyle secret, niksen is the art of doing, well, nothing. It’s the opposite of productivity, and it’s incredibly good for your:

  • Mind - It makes you calmer.
  • Body - It offers rest on hectic days.
  • Creativity - It clears a space for brilliant ideas, and
  • Wallet - It’s free!

If you’re waiting for an invitation to go lie down in the sunshine, this book is it.

©2020 Uitgeverij Unieboek | Het Spectrum bv. Translation © 2021 by the Experiment, LLC (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

Love Books? You'll Love Audible.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Transform your day

Replace endless scrolling with endless listening. Chores can be fun.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Listen everywhere

Download titles to listen offline, wherever you are in the world.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Carry your entire Library

Your stories go where you go. Audiobooks don’t weigh a thing.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Listen and learn

Discover stories that can change your mind, your well-being, and your life.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Reach your reading goals

You can’t turn pages while you drive—but you can press play.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Find your niche

WIth thousands of titles to explore, there’s something for everyone.

Try for $0.00 $14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

What listeners say about The Lost Art of Doing Nothing

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A good evening read!

A good book to relax to or listen to in the morning. Gives good insight on different cultures and ways to ease our days.

Only critiques I really have are the random tangents that appear here and there that don’t correlate to the topic very well, and the outdated and very obviously millennial references.

Besides that, it is a useful read if you’re one who has a difficult time relaxing, overworking yourself, or feel guilty when focusing on yourself.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!