By John Salak –
Maybe in today’s hyped-up world, people just need a little hurkle-durkling, despite hurkle-durkling’s distressing promise of encouraging idleness.. If they do—and it works—the Scots should be thanked.
Hurkle-durkling springs from a 200-year-old Scottish practice and description, which equates to doing pretty much nothing. More specifically the Dictionaries of the Scots Language defines it as “to lie in bed or lounge about when one should be up.”
In modern times, a well-planned hurkle-durkling involves spending long periods of time snuggled under the covers after waking up with books, screens, snacks and other feelgood comforts readily at hand, Fox News reports.
The practice undoubtedly is catching on as stressed-out people worldwide increasingly see hurkle-durkling as a gateway to mental health salvation. In fact, hotels are even stepping in to accommodate hurkle-durklers.
“At The Williams Inn, we’ve embraced this idea and elevated it with a Literary Sabbatical package offering curated in-suite libraries,” the Massachusetts-based hotel recently announced.
The program and practice are “particularly popular in the winter months when there’s nothing better than staying warm and savoring the luxury of doing nothing,” Megan Hajduk, the inn’s general manager, told Fox News.
The Marriott Marquis near Houston is also serving up hurkle-durkling opportunities for both corporate and leisure travelers.
“It’s no surprise that hurkle-durkling is gaining popularity — travel provides the perfect opportunity to embrace it,” added Nour Laasri, the Marriott’s general manager.
Relaxation is reportedly the number one reason vacationers travel so maybe chilling out with a good hurkle-durkle is just what the stressed-out need when they get away. The bigger question is whether the practice really does a body and soul any good.
There are probably plusses and potential drawbacks to the practice.
A hurkle-durkle lifestyle can provide a sense of self-care that offers someone the chance to disconnect and recharge in a pressure-free environment. This is undoubtedly a good thing.
But extended or never-ending hurkle-durkling could also signal something else. It may mean someone is dodging responsibility or isolating themselves from friends and family. This could signal depression or other mental health issues, Marisha Mathis, a licensed clinical social worker, told the Huffington Post.
“I think there’s probably a limit or a time when it becomes an avoidance mechanism or sign that something else is going on,” added Dr. Jessica Gold, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee. “Burnout comes to mind if the thing you don’t want to get up and do is go to work.”
Without scientific research to support benefits or identify dangers, all this probably means is that a little hurkle-durkling can’t hurt as long as someone doesn’t dive so deep into the covers that they never come out.
