Customer Reviews

The Art of Doing Nothing: Simple Ways to Make Time for Yourself

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The title of this book is misleading. It sounds like an exhortation solely for La Dolce Vita. It is that all right, but it is much more as well.

"This book is designed to help you cultivate the seeds of serenity." From serenity, Ms. Vienne suggests that you will discover many great ideas, better focus on what is important, and enjoy life more. In essence, doing nothing is designed here as a path to internal and external progress -- worthy of consideration by any striver.

Strivers have a problem. They strive too much. "Whenever frinds or loved ones suggest we relax -- take a deep breath or unwind for a few days -- we almost always protest."

This is a problem because "you can only make time for yourself by uncluttering your mind." With this uncluttered mind and time, you can accomplish more and be more balanced. That's a wonderful exhortation, and the book provides many valuable guides to getting there.

The book is divided into ten chapters, each on the "art of" something. These arts are procrastination, breathing, meditating, lounging, yawning, napping, bathing, tasting, listening, and waiting. Although we all have lots of experience in these 10 areas, if you are like me, you don't yet know how to make the best of each one.

Each chapter is lovingly illustrated with black and white photographs in soft brownish tones by Erica Lennard. The photographs add an elegance and a beauty to the book that help put you in the right mood to absorb the message here. Many are images of nature, and many include artful representations of a beautiful woman in fairly transparent clothing (especially noteworthy for those of you who enjoy such views).

Let me focus on a few chapters to help you savor the full flavor of the book. Procrastination to a striver sounds like something to be avoided. Ms. Vienne likens procrastination instead to moving water where "the path of least resistance is a successions of languid curves." Basically, the most natural path is a circuitous one. Such paths allow us time to digest what we are experiencing and to notice more.

This chapter includes descriptions of Thoreau's life in the woods, and the importance of his observing nature. You also get lessons on whistling 101 to help you refocus away from whatever you are working too hard on. There is an exercise to stay next to your unopened mail and ignore it. You are encouraged to "give yourself permission to abandon any activity midway." That last is particularly good advice, because many things simply aren't worth finishing. Why sit through a book or movie that doesn't suit your needs or your mood? That's just time you could better spend in more pleasant ways.

Lounging conjured up images for me of people in togas ordering a slave to peel them a grape. Instead, Ms. Vienne encourages you to "wear down your restlessness." She points out that lounging is the state in which many scientific geniuses had their biggest insights. So lounging can be a purposeless way of being more purposeful by letting your unconscious mind come out. The chapter on meditation also reinforced this point. She describes how emptying your mind can be the pathway to enlightenment.

Yawning turns out to be a way of creating a more relaxed physical state. You learn how to make your feet more comfortable wherever you are (the poor person's reflexology) to make life more pleasant, as well.

The napping section was wonderful. She sees napping like Edison did . . . a quick ten minutes to calm down, relax, and get refocused. "If you've got too much to do, take a nap -- just a ten-minute nap." This nap "lets you resurface minutes later with a fresh outlook on life."

After you have finished reading this book, the next time you are lounging or bathing I suggest you linguidly turn your attention to what should be removed from your daily routine. That will help you have more time for reflection.

I would write more, but I'm going take a nap instead.

Enjoy your life . . . more peacefully . . . and slowly.

My husband and I were given this beautiful book as a gift when we left New York to embark on our new life in the Caribbean. Much of its wisdom has stayed with me during the many months since I first read it. We tend to get so busy that we often miss the whole point of the beautiful gift of life. Veronique reminds us to stop and smell the roses, and teaches us how to feel more connected with the world around us. I'm sending a copy to all my friends for the holidays!

I was babysitting one night and found this book on the lady's coffee table that I babysit for. I just had to read it. It's made me think about life in a different prospective for each moment that I live. It's a very neat and different way to look at the things we take advantage of, and to relax a lot more, even though we have things on our minds that need to be done. Read it, I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

The kind of book you will want to keep around to remind yourself that doing nothing could be a full time job. Beautiful writing,simple, memorable exercises. The photography is rich, subtle and deliciously sensual. This little book is intelligent and wise.

Vienne's words coupled with Lennard's almost otherworldly, sepia-toned photographs, offer the reader a chance to escape the busy world for awhile and relax. Candles and a nice steaming bath would be a near-perfect environment in which to enjoy this brief, simple book, simultaneously reading it and living its message.

There's no astounding, mystical wisdom contained here, only the reminder of things we already know, and perhaps have forgotten in our 9-5, materialism-driven world. Vienne offers several rituals to take time out to enjoy yourself and recharge the batteries that can get so run down in a success-oriented culture. She gives advice on breathing, meditation, bathing, and even on how to cure a common cold.

This little book is a very nice way to spend an hour or so, and its lessons can help us enjoy the rest of our days to come.

A beautifully laid out book that is a good reminder that we should all slow down. Reading the book and looking at the pictures just makes you want to kick up your feet and relax.

Received this book from my sister for Christmas. It serves as a timely reminder to cherish ourselves and our time alone. Too often we equate solitude or "down time" with unproductiveness...this book points out that we need to cultivate our relationship with ourselves first. It's filled with ideas (some practical, some not so) on how to be good to yourself. Great "tub reading"--don't forget the bubbles, candles, and beverage of your choice!

The author makes a pointed effort of using a tiring collection of little used eight letter words...in combination. End result: endless, rambling sentences. The content is quite dull and uninspiring. Exasperating considering I expected this piece to be a beautiful, pleasant read. To follow the author's recommendation, one must reside near a surplus of speciality and gourmet shops. For those of us in the middle to lower economic range, try a fragrant bubble bath from a local dollar store, lock yourself in the bathroom and listen to music.
The photographer is to be commended for her artistic talent. Although, as a heterosexual female, I would have much prefered a picture of a naked man floating in a pond to that of a naked woman!
The Art of Doing Nothing is worth...nothing. Not your time nor your money.

Some time ago, my best college buddy and I used to joke about never having enough time to "just do nothing." Now, in a casual, introspective way, author Véronique Vienne not only tells us how to find the time, but what to do while we're doing nothing.

"The Art of Doing Nothing" is one of the neatest compilations of two of my favorite topics: thought-provoking personal/social issues and photography (more on the photos later). Whereas Dennis Prager (e.g., "Think a Second Time") might offer us a thinking person's gourmet buffet, Ms. Vienne serves the hors d'oeuvres: they're excellent, and you can make a whole meal. In ten concise chapters, she has brought forth some of the most poignant ideas and insights on topics such as procrastinating, napping, listening and waiting. The imagery she evokes through her use of situational examples is quite up-to-date in terms of our everyday routines. Rather humorous; very true. You'll recognize yourself in almost every chapter. My only [minor] criticism is that, on occasion, the author strays a tiny bit too far into biological explanations (e.g., what happens at the molecular level when we breathe), which bogs down the flow of the writing. I skimmed through those parts the second time around.

While there are numerous stress-reducing techniques offered by the author, I don't prefer to read this as a "how-to" book. For me, just taking a step back and looking at how frazzled our lives are gives me a much needed attitude adjustment and sense of relief. The sepia duotone photos by Erica Lennard cover many subjects, are first-rate, and appear on almost every other page. I was also happy to find a nice list of photo credits at the back of the book. If I hadn't already read one of Ms. Vienne's other books ("The Art of Imperfection"), which I liked even better, I would have given this one five stars.

Aren't we all over doing it just a little? Don't we all need to slow down and see the important things in life? This book is a gem. It's a fabulous reminder to take it easy and to appreciate the small things in life.