Is laziness a good idea? A Dutch trend of doing nothing is sweeping the world, even finding its way into a UK gym chain.
X
Next
Gym chain launches classes in doing nothing
Is laziness a good idea? A Dutch trend of doing nothing is sweeping the world, even finding its way into a UK gym chain.
X
PreviousNext
What's happening?
David takes a deep breath as he steps into the gym. Time for some exercise! He looks at the list of classes on offer: yoga, swimming, weightlifting - and nothingness?
A gym chain in the UK has started offering classes in niksen: the DutchBelonging to or relating to the Netherlands, its people, or its language. art of doing nothing at all.
The idea of niksen is to stop thinking about the reasons for everything you do. It means doing nothing with no reason at all, simply for its own sake.
Today, many people think every action has a purpose. If we go for a walk, it has to be to get in our 10,000 steps a day, or if we cook a nice meal it has to be to make us healthier.
Some say it stops us from enjoying the moment. When you are walking just to get in your 10,000 steps, you might not stop to smell the flowers.
Find out more
Do we really need niksen? Today, we work more than at most times in history. In the Middle AgesThe Middle Ages was the period in European history that came between ancient and modern times. It lasted from about 500 to about 1500., even peasantsA historical term often used to describe poorer people who worked in farming. had around 60 days off every year.
And long before that we worked even less. Hunter-gatherersHumans who lived an ancient way of life in which they foraged for food and occasionally hunted, but did not farm. probably worked no more than 15 hours a week.
Is laziness a good idea?
Yes! Humans are not supposed to be doing hundreds of things all the time. We need more time when we are just sitting about and enjoying life.
No! Humans are made to work. When we do not have enough to do, we become bored. Instead of niksen, we should find work that we enjoy doing.
X
Previous
Keywords
Dutch - Belonging to or relating to the Netherlands, its people, or its language.
Middle Ages - The Middle Ages was the period in European history that came between ancient and modern times. It lasted from about 500 to about 1500.
Peasants - A historical term often used to describe poorer people who worked in farming.
Hunter-gatherers - Humans who lived an ancient way of life in which they foraged for food and occasionally hunted, but did not farm.
Gym chain launches classes in doing nothing
Switching off: Gustave Caillebotte's The Nap shows bourgeois leisure in the 19th Century. Glossary
Dutch - Belonging to or relating to the Netherlands, its people, or its language.
Middle Ages - The Middle Ages was the period in European history that came between ancient and modern times. It lasted from about 500 to about 1500.
Peasants - A historical term often used to describe poorer people who worked in farming.
Hunter-gatherers - Humans who lived an ancient way of life in which they foraged for food and occasionally hunted, but did not farm.