What with all the running around needed for holiday planning and preparations sometimes we hardly know where to start. Here’s a thought on what to do first – nothing. As surprising as it may sound, during this most hectic time of year it truly would behoove you to do niksen.

The Dutch art of doing nothing, niksen is “being present in the moment, carving out time to just be [and] letting your mind wander wherever it wants to go.” You can even take it a step further and enjoy lekker niksen: “deliciously doing nothing, blissfully free of any tasks or work.” It’s purposeful idleness, allowing yourself to rest with no pressure to be productive.

A balm to soothe overtaxed emotions, niksen is a mental health day in minutes. Giving yourself permission to be still gives your nervous system a chance to wind down and your mind a moment to rest. And it’s time well spent – niksen can actually make you moreproductive. Taking a break from constant doing gives your brain a chance to reset so when you get back at it it’s with sharper focus and sustained attention.

Shift gears from feeling you have to do everything to doing nothing by distancing yourself from distractions. Treat yourself to a few minutes of quiet time by just looking out the window with your cup of coffee in the morning. During the day take a walk with no podcast and no destination and let your thoughts drift. Sit on a bench and watch the changing colors of dusk. When you start thinking you should be doing something, notice it and just as with meditation, just let those thoughts drift by.

The pressure to have everything be just right during the holiday season can take an emotional toll. Doing nothing isn’t neglectful, it’s replenishing. A practice of self-care that helps slow the rush of the season so you can actually enjoy it. So sit a minute, sit for yourself. Do niksen.

If doing nothing sounds impossible to you, someone you love or someone in your network, working with a Mental Health Coach can create the path to developing relaxing habits for the holidays and beyond. To learn how, have a confidential conversation with Cindy via phone at 631-921-4085 or reach her directly via email here to discuss the benefits of working with a member of our Accountability Coach team.

The Recovery Coach NY program, developed by Founder & President Cindy Feinberg, is based on the philosophical theory of holism: The system as a whole determines how the parts behave. Working together, we create a plan to provide the safety, structure and accountability that promotes long-term wellness.

We provide Mental Health Support & Coaching, Recovery Support & Coaching, Sobriety & Mental Health Companionship, Accountability & Executive Function Coaching, Academic Coaching, Scholastic Support, Case Management, Safe Transport, Psychedelic Integration Coaching, Intervention and Emergency Services. For more information, visit our website.

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