Travel and the art of doing nothing
Lockdown has made space in all our diaries for some daydreaming. Embrace it, says Chris Carter
Last week, we looked at the Japanese concept of ikigai, which, roughly translated, refers to your focus and drive, keeping busy, and what gets you out of bed in the morning. The Dutch concept of niksen is, on the face of it, the opposite. Literally the Dutch verb for “doing nothing”, niksen is about finding the time to consciously be idle by, for example, gazing out of a window. That “activity” is, according to a new book, Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing by Olga Mecking, the quintessence of niksen, because, as Mark Smith puts it in The Times, “it can be performed at a moment’s notice without kit”. The Dutch even talk of lekker niksen, which means something along the lines of “doing nothing deliciously”. So, “stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone”, says Smith. “This lockdown the only thing on your leisure-time to-do list should be nothing… and feeling good about it.”
Make your not-to-do list
Doing nothing, of course, is easier said than done – especially in Britain, where being busy with work and spending time on self-improvement are venerated. “In the Netherlands, apparently it’s a common relaxation technique to stop whatever you’re doing and embrace nothing-ing,” says Katie Strick in the Evening Standard. “Here in the UK, the closest most of us get to switching off is scrolling through Instagram with a Calm podcast and calling it meditation. No wonder we’re all burnt out.” So, we must close the laptop, put the phone out of sight, and embrace what Mecking calls “doing something without purpose”. You might even write a not-to-do list and thereby free up your diary for daydreaming. “Perhaps the Dutch are on to something: in this world of productivity and accounting for every second, finding the time to do nothing suddenly feels like the biggest achievement of all,” says Strick.
But what if niksen doesn’t come naturally to you? “Mecking is understanding,” says Anna Maxted in The Daily Telegraph. If you’re not the type who can do absolutely nothing, then draw, listen to music, do a jigsaw, squeeze a stress ball. The last thing Mecking wants is for anyone to feel “terrible about failing” at niksen. “Honestly,” says Mecking, “anything that helps you relax is fine.” All it takes is a few minutes here and there. “Curiously,” adds Maxted, “I find that in the current conditions – when life feels tumultuous and exhausting, frenetic with constant change – a dash of niksen is priceless, and pleasingly organic.”
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Head to the hills
In terms of travel, most of us are not currently able to do nothing in the spiritual home of purposeful idleness: Amsterdam, with its lovely canals and colourful gabled buildings, will have to wait, as will the fields of flowers and pretty windmills of the rest of the Netherlands. Fortunately, practising niksen at home is as easy as turning a cosy chair towards a window, as Mecking recommends, and gazing out at the leaves on the trees.
And what better time to start than now? “Autumn’s blaze of glory, all flame-red leaves and burnt-gold foliage, offers an opportunity to marvel at the brilliance of the natural world before hunkering down for winter,” says Alexander Turner in The Guardian. As nature goes into hibernation, more people than ever are visiting wooded areas and arboretums. “The experience of lockdown has changed many people’s relationships with nature and will undoubtedly extend our interaction with the arboreal beyond the traditional leaf-peeping season.”
That said, the trees in the Howardian Hills, in Yorkshire, are at their “multi-hued best in autumn – the dazzling yellow of ash, chestnut and lime leaves complementing the rich russet and golden tones of beeches and oaks,” says Mike Bagshaw in Countryfile magazine. “There are no big forests here but some sizeable woods and lots of clumps and copses – dark pillows lying on a rumpled patchwork-quilt landscape.” Clent Hills, in Worcestershire, is another “perfect spot to witness autumn colour”, says Sarah Turner in The Observer, as is Loch Lomond – “Glasgow’s most beautiful autumn hideaway”.
Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.
Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.
You can follow Chris on Instagram.
-
Adidas, Nike or Jordans - could collectable trainers make you rich?
The right pair of trainers can fetch six figures. Here's how you can start collecting vintage Adidas, Nike or Jordans now
By Chris Carter Published
-
Early bird ISA investors flock to global funds, India and the US
There’s been an increase in investors maxing out their ISA at the start of the new tax year. But where are they putting their cash and why does it make sense to be an early bird investor?
By Vaishali Varu Published
-
Review: Three magnificent Beachcomber resorts in Mauritius
MoneyWeek Travel Ruth Emery explores the Indian Ocean island from Beachcomber resorts Shandrani, Trou aux Biches and Paradis
By Ruth Emery Published
-
Review: Hôtel des Grands Voyageurs – a welcome arrival in Paris
MoneyWeek Travel The new Hôtel des Grands Voyageurs exudes timeless elegance from the golden age of travel, says Matthew Partridge
By Dr Matthew Partridge Published
-
Val d’Isère is a valley of delights
MoneyWeek Travel Matthew Partridge reviews Airelles Val d’Isere and Hotel Mont-Blanc in the famous French ski resort
By Dr Matthew Partridge Published
-
Review: The Ozen Collection – a dream stay in the Maldives
MoneyWeek Travel Ozen Life Maadhoo and Ozen Reserve Bolifushi, where luxury meets nature, are almost too good to be true, says Nicole García Mérida.
By Nicole García Mérida Published
-
Review: An odyssey through Sri Lanka
MoneyWeek Travel Merryn Somerset Webb explores the South Asian country’s ruins, jungle and fabulous food.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
-
Flexjet review: the only way to fly
MoneyWeek Travel Chris Carter flies with Flexjet, a provider of fractional ownership of private jets, to St Moritz in Switzerland for the Snow Polo World Cup.
By Chris Carter Published
-
South American nature holidays – take a walk on the wild side
Travel We find holidays in South America where you can explore nature in all its diversity.
By Chris Carter Published
-
10 most affordable places to rent (and least) in England
As rent prices increase, it’s good to know where renters can get the best value. And which are the least affordable areas, to avoid.
By Nicole García Mérida Published