From 'dolce far niente' to 'nishkriya,' other cultures embrace doing nothing. What Americans can learn from them.

Dolce far niente. Niksen. Wu-wei. Mooching. Plenty of cultures have names for the art of doing nothing, but it’s an activity that many Americans struggle with. Studies show that nearly half of U.S. workers don’t take the paid time off they're entitled to, and 60% of American adults report they sometimes feel too busy to enjoy their lives. And according to Time, constant busyness is the new, must-have American status symbol.

“When was the last time you … just sat there?” asks Celeste Headlee, a journalist and author of Do Nothing: How to Break Away for Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving. “Didn't check your phone. Didn't use it as time to catch up with a friend or make a business call. But just sat there watching people go by?” For many of us, it’s been a while.

The problem is that Americans “are taught the power of the hustle,” Trevor Blake, a physicist who now coaches professionals on how to find work-life balance, tells Yahoo Life. “[They are] always doing. In other cultures, people are taught the power of pausing and breathing deeply.”

What can we learn from these countries that have embraced what the Italians call dolce far niente, or "the sweetness of doing nothing"? Here's what experts from around the world have to say about their cultures' embrace of taking it easy.

Australia

“In Australia, we have a phrase: ‘She’ll be right,’” says editor Oliver Gaywood. It means “there's no use panicking, fussing or worrying; just let things be and they'll work out.” He adds that Aussies notice that Americans “have a reputation of being workaholics who need to constantly be doing something.” But sometimes “doing nothing is vital,” insists Gaywood.

How can Americans take a page out of the Aussie lifestyle playbook? Resist the urge to react or ruminate on worst-case scenarios. “It'll be hard to let go at first,” admits Gaywood, “but the more you try, the better you'll get and soon you'll see the benefits. After all, she'll be right.”

Croatia

Marriage and family therapist Ciara Bogdanovic is Croatian. In her father’s small hometown, Komi?a, the local saying is pomalo, which loosely translates to "take it easy.” “It reflects the slow pace of life and the tendency to do nothing,” Bogdanovic tells Yahoo Life. In the coastal town of Komi?a, she’ll often just chill at a café for hours, watching the waves.

As a therapist, Bogdanovic often has conversations with her American clients about “how to be OK with not being constantly doing,” she says. “The combination of our capitalist mindset and social media leads to beliefs that we always need to be moving forward and being productive.” That can leave other important aspects of life — rest, family, hobbies — languishing by the wayside.

If we instead try to channel pomalo, “we can reflect, learn about ourselves and our environments, connect with simple joys and rest,” says Bogdanovic. “In doing nothing, we create balance, self-awareness and happiness.”

India

Hari Nair is a scholar of nishkriya, a Sanskrit word that refers to the art of doing nothing. “In a state of nishkriya, we are open to all possibilities but chasing none,” Nair tells Yahoo Life. “It is a state that allows for life’s journey to unfold without us having to puff and pant in pursuit of all kinds of goals.”

Nair has lived in both India and the U.S., and has seen how Americans “choose to prioritize work over leisure and family time,” he says. “Even when not actively working, there’s a lingering feeling that more could be done.” Encouraging nishkriya, on the other hand, means “embracing stillness as a vital part of overall well-being,” he says.

Japan

Japanese artist and healer Yuko Adachi, draws on teachings of the Chinese philosopher Laozi, including the concept of mui shizen, which is about doing nothing and surrendering to what is. “It encourages us not to interfere with how life unfolds,” Adachi tells Yahoo Life. “This does not mean laziness or giving up, but making a conscious choice to let go of control.”

The American "rat race," on the other hand, “fosters constant comparison, judgment and external validation, tying self-worth to productivity,” says Adachi. Practicing mui shizen in the face of this lets us find the stillness necessary to “allow inspiration to flow,” she says.

Eastern Europe

“In Poland, odpoczynek — meaning "rest" — is not just encouraged but expected,” Andrey Meshcheryakov, who is of Polish descent, tells Yahoo Life. In neighboring Hungary, the legendary kávéházak (coffeehouses) are leisurely gathering places that “allow ideas to simmer,” says Mescheryakov. Further south, in Serbia, merak describes the joy of unhurried, mindful enjoyment.

Eastern Europe’s approach, Meshcheryakov adds, stands in stark contrast to the U.S., where downtime is often seen as wasted time. When we take pauses away from the daily grind, however, “something remarkable happens,” he says. “Solutions surface effortlessly.”

West Africa

Therapist Evon Inyang grew up hearing her Nigerian elders saying: O le wa ni lo, which they said means “There is time to rest.” “In West Africa,” she explains, “we see rest as a time for reflection, spiritual renewal and connection." This includes the Yoruba concept igba odun, odun kan, which Inyang interprets as “a year has its seasons” — a saying that highlights the need for cycles of work and rest.

"In West Africa,” Inyang adds, “we see rest as a time for reflection, spiritual renewal and connection." Similarly, sankofa, a Twi word from Ghana that means “go back and fetch it,” reminds us that “sometimes we must pause and reflect in order to move forward stronger,” says Inyang. It’s a concept related to the Akan proverb se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi, which translates as "it is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten,” and is about contemplating and learning from the past.

How to be better at doing nothing

How can Americans break our hustle habit? Our experts have some tips.

• Practice mindfulness. “If you're waiting in line or at the doctor's office, don’t reach for your phone,” suggests Bogdanovic. “Instead, practice just being. Allow yourself to observe your environment and be curious.”

• Luxuriate in the little things. Another tip from Bodanovic? When you take a bite of food, “allow yourself to settle into the pleasure and sensations that come along with it," she says. "With practice, over time, these mindful moments will become more natural.”

• Disconnect from tech. Getting away from overstimulating environments helps reset your mind, reduces stress and improves focus. Your brain also needs time off from screens. As Headlee previously told Yahoo Life, The brain doesn't distinguish between you [scrolling] through Insta and [doing] work.

• Avoid over-scheduling. Don’t let FOMO keep you in a busy frenzy. “Stepping away from constant activity is not ‘missing out’ but honoring the natural rhythm of life,” says Adachi. “By releasing distractions and societal pressures, we reconnect with our true selves.”

• Don't fall for the all-work-and-no-play trap. Our culture may prize productivity at all costs, but that doesn't mean it's OK. “It’s also essential to shift the mindset around success,” says Nair. That means “recognizing that rest and reflection are just as valuable as work.” Try doing nothing during your lunch break, like going for a leisurely wander or simply eating outside. It may recharge you in ways that answering emails over a sandwich can't.