LAGOM, the Swedish philosophy of living just enough, is known as a lifestyle that focuses on quality over quantity, always “knowing enough” to spend time enjoying every minute. To overcome the hustle and bustle of modern life, people are looking for lighter, happier lifestyles and thoughts. That is why recently the Lagom lifestyle has stepped outside of Sweden and is becoming more and more popular in many societies around the world.
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1. Design a simple and tidy living space.
Swedes believe that an open living space, with the necessary amount of furniture and items for daily needs, is enough. As the eyes see, so the head thinks. Living in a house with less furniture, more space will give you more space to move around, more air to breathe, and less distraction, more comfort, lightness, and increased concentration.
The arrangement of less furniture also saves you some money from buying unnecessary decorations. Living Lagom also means reducing shopping for pleasure, choosing only high-quality, long-lasting items, avoiding spending a lot of money on new purchases or buying things that are only used once and then thrown away.
With a wardrobe with few options, you will have more time for thinking, more attention to the more important things in life.
2. Balance work, build meaningful relationships.
Lagom focuses on the development of relationships to create a collaborative and intimate living environment.
From Lagom was born the Fika coffee culture, literally, Fika is “break time with cups of coffee and cakes”. Between school and work hours, Swedes often gather together to drink a cup of coffee, eat a piece of waffle and chat about this and that.
Almost every Swede spends a little time with Fika every day. In offices, Fika usually takes place in the middle of the afternoon. At that time, employees will leave their desks to gather at the company’s dining corner, enjoying coffee and cakes. Stories are told in the smell of warm coffee, difficulties and problems at work are shared and solved together. Ideas are born, commented and sublimated. Colleagues gradually become friends, sharing more private and intimate issues, beyond the scope of desks and offices. Each person after fifteen minutes Fika finds their spirit becomes more open and has more energy to work.
Many people explain that Sweden’s economy has “improved” in recent decades and owns many innovative companies such as H&M, Ikea, Spotify … thanks in part to Fika. It’s easy to understand: When employees have many ideas to contribute and connect well with each other, the company’s labor productivity will surely be greatly multiplied. Therefore, almost every office in Sweden encourages their employees to “Fika” by devoting a lovely warm corner in the office to this coffee-chatting activity. Many other companies around the world have also learned from Sweden’s Fika culture into strategies to increase the efficiency of their employees. Taking a few minutes to balance your mind is the way to pause for a few more steps.
3. Act responsibly with the health of the environment and nature
Living Lagom is not only thinking for one’s own benefits and convenience, but also caring for the lives of plants and animals, creating a clean, balanced environment. In a good environment, people can be happy and develop positively.
Most Swedes only buy high-quality items to reduce waste, because, after many years, they only have to buy new items once. They also often cook, encouraging eating at home to be both healthy and reduce waste from the packaging of canned and processed foods. They also actively use public transport, bicycle, or walk for short distances to reduce emissions from gasoline. What a bonus, helping the environment while promoting your health and becoming happier.
4. Take time for yourself.
According to a happiness study, money can make people happy, but only to a certain extent. If we are needy, having more money will make us happy. But if we already have enough money for our living needs, money can’t make us happier.
Therefore, up to a certain point, a person who wants to be happy needs to spend time building a relationship with his own ego, and learn to love himself more. Start with the simplest action, which is to spend a few minutes in the morning drinking coffee alone to plan how the days are coming. Create conditions to improve your health and spirit after a long day of work with some exercise or your favorite sport. Or it is understanding the meaning and owning a suitable life insurance policy to protect your finances against the risks in life.
Whatever it is, remember: When you are at peace and developed yourself, life becomes easier, easier to please. Being happy is easier when you are more peaceful.
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