Il Dolce Far Niente – the sweetness of doing nothing
And yes, I watched La Dolce Villa over the weekend
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. — Anne Lamott
If you’ve ever strolled past a neighborhood café on a slow morning, you’ve probably seen them—regulars gathered at patio tables, sipping coffee, chatting, and watching the world go by. No rushing, no multitasking—just being.
Years ago, when I worked as a barista, I saw this scene play out every day. Back then, I didn’t think much of it. But recently, while watching La Dolce Villa on Netflix, I was reminded of an Italian phrase my café’s owner used to talk about: Il dolce far niente—the sweetness of doing nothing.
The café I worked at was a small, cozy place across the street from the community college, nestled in an older neighborhood. It was the kind of place where you knew most of the customers by name. Every morning, a group of older men would shuffle in, order their usual black drip coffee (no fluffy drinks for them - their term, not mine!), and claim their spot on the patio. Their conversations drifted from the weather to last night’s game to stories they’d probably told each other a hundred times before.
Sometimes, an older woman or two would join them, or they’d sit at their own table nearby, chatting and laughing as the morning sun warmed their faces. What struck me most was how long they stayed. Hours would pass, but they didn’t seem to notice—or care. Their time wasn’t measured in productivity. It was measured in connection, presence, and simple joy.
The café owner, who traveled to Italy often, once told me this was common there—people lingering over cappuccinos or lunch, unhurried and unbothered by the clock. (Now, as I think about it, it’s probably why she would visit so often, since she lived a very busy life as a single mom, builder, and café owner. Italy was somewhere she could unplug from it all.) She said it was called Il dolce far niente, explaining that in Italy, doing nothing isn’t considered a waste of time—it’s considered an art.
At the time, I didn’t fully understand it. I was too busy steaming milk, pulling shots, and racing through my college to-do lists (which, let’s be honest, was more social than academic). But looking back, I see what those regulars knew: that life’s sweetness isn’t found in rushing to the next thing—it’s found in those slow, unhurried moments when we simply exist.
You don’t need to fly to Italy—or even sit at a café—to experience Il dolce far niente. The beauty of this concept is that it’s available to all of us, right where we are. And yes, you don’t have to be retired like my former customers. The key is to stop seeing rest as something we have to earn and start seeing it as something we deserve.
Here’s how to bring more sweet nothingness into your daily life:
Sit with your coffee instead of rushing through it. Let the warmth of the cup, the aroma, and the first sip be an experience in itself.
Take a walk with no destination. Not for exercise or steps—just to move, observe, and breathe.
Pause between tasks. Instead of jumping from one thing to the next, give yourself a moment to stretch, stare out the window, or simply sit.
Linger over meals. Put your phone away, chew slowly, and let yourself enjoy every bite.
Do something just for the joy of it. Read a book with no agenda. Listen to music without doing anything else. Watch the world outside your window.
In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, faster, Il dolce far niente is a gentle reminder that we don’t have to fill every moment. Sometimes, the most meaningful thing we can do is simply be.
So today, I invite you to slow down. Let yourself sit a little longer. Take the scenic route. Enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing—because, as those café regulars knew, that’s where life’s magic happens.
What’s one way you’ll practice Il dolce far niente this week? I’d love to hear.
P.S. I have only three openings for my 1:1 private coaching this spring! Let's chat if you're ready to slow down, reclaim your time, and rediscover the joy in your everyday life. Click here to learn more and grab your spot before they're gone!