How Dolce Far Niente, the Italian Philosophy of Doing Nothing, Can Teach Us to Slow Down

There is sweetness in doing nothing, but in our modern lives, even nothingness can feel exhausting. Our society wants us to market ourselves, constantly self-improve, and spend every moment making ourselves smarter, richer, and healthier, as if we are a commodity being readied to sell. The difficulty arises when we stop and ask ourselves if this makes us happy, if this burnout expectation and culture work to aid us, or just keeps us in a constant state of anxiety. 

Pause. 

Take a deep breath and slow down. Intentionally. We’re about to practice some intentional slow-living, in the form of the Italian philosophy of dolce far niente – the sweetness of doing nothing. 

The Time for Stillness

Anxiety is good for an enterprise, it encourages overworking, heightens cortisol levels, and entices us to blur boundaries between work-life balance. Even in our so-called ‘downtime’, we overload on information, most of it negative. A modern phenomenon aptly called doomscrolling encapsulates the act of endlessly scrolling and interacting with negative news stories and information. Our default is busy, our default is stressed, so the rare moments of slowness and leisure feel overly indulgent, a waste of time and energy.

We feel it is crucial to read and stay aware of every news update, every breaking and depressing piece of information on our phones. It isn’t. Quite the opposite. We are not personal projects, but living, breathing things, who benefit from simplicity and modest moments.  Like how the beauty of flowers in the spring, the feeling of sunshine warming your cheek, and the sensation of the grass beneath your feet, can all increase feelings of contentment. Sometimes it really is that simple. 

The Italian concept of dolce far niente, or the sweetness of doing nothing, is centered around the idea of taking pleasure in intentional pauses. The Italians have been known to achieve a good work-life balance, take pleasure in breaks, long lunches, and siestas. Many retail stores and restaurants in Italy will even close for a few hours in the afternoon so employees can take a break.

The Italians practice this philosophy of slow-living by taking pauses to eat, repose, or simply be. While this level of slow-living may not be possible in many modern Western workplaces, we still have the power to promote intentional living practices in our everyday lives.  There is a time for occupying ourselves, and there is a time for stillness. 

Silence and the Small Things

The famous French cult-classic Amelie is a film about the little things, small pleasures or acts of kindness that make life worth living. However, it is only when we slow down that we can notice small beauties. Our to-do lists and goals are usually big-picture things, overarching aims that do not leave space for these tiny observations.

How can one enjoy a simplicity like beautiful weather if we are so focused on working towards a certain version of ourselves? Embracing a philosophy like dolce far niente can recenter our priorities. We can tell ourselves that while self-improvement is valuable, it is equally beneficial to allow ourselves time to bask in simplicity and the sweetness of doing nothing. What are we working toward if all our time for relaxation is spent feeling guilty and idle?

Practicing this philosophy, even with little steps, could include setting aside time each day to unplug from our devices, to enjoy a meal without any distraction, perhaps watch the birds sing their little songs from our window. Silence the ongoing chatter and stress of our internal monologues. Realize it really will be fine and try to raise awareness of this anxiety-first culture.

Finding Peace in the Pause

A life well-lived is not simply measured by a single outcome, but is an accumulation of many things. No matter how you feel about the state of our world, there is no denying its beauty. It nourishes the spirit to be quiet, to connect with nature and the truest version of ourselves, the wild, animal part of us that longs for simplicity.

Nurture that part of yourself, it deserves to be cherished and loved, and you will thank you for it. Like a rose on your bedside that longs to be placed in the windowsill under the sun, sometimes, lessening our anxiety can be the simplest of acts. The obvious things that we know but rarely realize.

Simplicity, whether in our possessions, thought processes, or choices, is unsurprisingly linked to a plethora of health benefits. Humans have a limited span of attention; we are fatigued by exposure to too much and too often, and this overwhelm leads us away from mindfulness.

A dolce far niente style philosophy of slow living could reduce our levels of cortisol, lowering our risk of high blood pressure, anxiety, fatigue, and depression. What reason do we live other than to enjoy life and create meaning through our interpersonal relationships and our connection to ourselves and the world around us?

Practicing intentional stillness can deepen our relationships, gently ease our minds outside of our own anxieties, and remind us that a full and happy life is synonymous with slowing down. Perhaps your workplace won’t look favourably upon a two-hour nap in the middle of the day, or allow you to fully embody the dolce far niente philosophy, but I promise you that being away from your screens, or taking some time away from your endlessly long to-do list, won’t kill you. In fact, it might just help you live.