Living a Lagom London Life

What do you think of when you think of Sweden, if you ever do think of Sweden of course? Abba, Ikea, cinnamon buns, the striking blue and yellow national flag?  I suspect Lagom may not be the first thing that springs to mind, unless of course you are Swedish or a confirmed Scandiphile (is there such a thing)?

I find myself increasingly interested in the Scandinavian way of life.  I wrote on these pages earlier this year about the Danish concept of Hygge, and more recently shared my thoughts on Helen Russell’s book The Art of Living Danishly.  Lately, I have been reading about the Swedish concept Lagom and thinking about simple ways of applying that to a life in London.

So what is Lagom?

In simple terms Lagom is not too much, not too little, but just enough.  It is about moderation and having just what you need.  In other words, it is a concept which rallies against the western values of consumerism and having more than we need and wanting more than we need. What it isn’t is mediocre, even if thats how it might appear at first.  Lagom is about learning to accept things you cannot change, but also finding joy in having all you need, and seeking balance in all aspects of life.  A result is living a less complicated life.  Doesn’t that all sound appealing?  I think so.

Life in London or almost anywhere these days can easily become a round of working late, rushing from work to home, crowded public transport, endless scrolling and clicking on digital devices, accumulating stuff, packing in everything you can into the day, squeezing in some sleep and then rushing out to do it all again.  Of course not every day is like this but I feel sure that many are.  The balance between home and work, is for many tipped in the balance of work.   This is not a Lagom life and probably not always a completely happy or productive life.

For the Swedes the concept of Lagom is woven seamlessly into every part of their lives.  From work to leisure to home and family life, and even sleep, it penetrates everything.  It isn’t passive or unquestioning but it seeks to find a happy medium between too much and too little of anything. It is living a life which isn’t burdened in anyway with excess or the resulting guilt that excess can bring.

“If you know what’s just enough, why go overboard?”

How can Lagom lead to a Simplied Life?

Much of the excess in our life comes from the stuff we own and consume and buy and have in our homes. The Kon Mari (Marie Kondo) Method would seem to me, to fit very well with Lagom.  A cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind. In London we frequently live and travel on top each other.  Space is at a premium. A home or office which is also cramped, and groaning with things can contribute towards us feeling hemmed in and lacking clarity.  Taking time to remove some of the excess physical things we have leads to a more peaceful and consequently a more creative environment.

If we accept and seek to have just enough, it stops or at least reduces the hamster wheel existence that can be the norm for many a city dweller.  It may mean choosing the things you buy to wear or eat or have in your home with more care.  Choosing less of them, and choosing things which will last and sustain and ultimately bring joy.

Lagom at Work

The Scandinavian approach to work is already fairly well know and I suspect secretly envied by many of us.  Much like the rest of Scandinavia, Swedes don’t work excessive hours, they don’t work through lunch and they don’t stay late or take work home.  In Sweden 78.3% of women work.  I suspect this is because of this Swedish, tolerant approach.  Maternity / paternity leave is very generous and flexible working the norm.  Not having to clock watch and worry that you are not going to be able to leave work on time to collect children or having to juggle long working days with running a home and family are much less of an issue.

In traditional Swedish businesses, taking a 15 minute break in the morning and in the afternoon for coffee and often Cinnamon buns too is the norm. This is known as Fika and is not just a grabbed coffee at the desk.  It is a short time when all of the workforce step away from the screens, have coffee together and chat.  Lunch breaks are also taken away from the desk, and when the clock strikes 5pm, Swedish workers will be leaving their offices without a backward glance.  In addition if you have finished your work a bit early, no one frowns on you leaving early.  Imagine that!

In many Western working environments and certainly in London, this is almost frowned upon.  Staying late, putting in extra hours, working lunches and even breakfast meetings are supposedly the mark of a successful productive person. How foolish this must seem to the Swedes. Especially when all the research points to the benefits of leaving work on time and taking proper breaks.  Research has shown that those that leave on time have are happier and  more productive.  It’s so obvious isn’t it. If the culture is that everyone leaves at 5pm no matter what, then surely efficiency goes up as you make every effort to complete your work.  It really is all about balance. Work hard whilst at work, be as productive as you can and then leave to enjoy time at home or in leisure pursuits.

As someone who always has lunch at their desk and only last night left work an hour late I find this all very appealing, and oh so sensible.

Lagom and Health

In London we are spoilt with choice when it comes to eating, in or out.  All of this choice can lead to excess and over indulgence. The Lagom approach to food and diet is the same as it is to everything else.  Nothing in excess.  This does not mean stopping days of indulgence or meals which are primarily out of a packet, it just ensures that not all meals or days are like this. A Friday night in Sweden is traditionally the time when families gather in the home, relax, watch television and eat ‘easy food’, often from the comfort of the sofa!  So, crisps, pizzas and a box set is not frowned upon.  This balances out the rest of the week when Swedes are more likely to have spent time preparing much healthier food from produce they might even have grown themselves.  Additionally food will often be prepared from left overs, waste is frowned upon and using up food in creative ways the norm.

Lagom means that eating a huge meal once a day is frowned upon.  Far better to eat little and often throughout the day.  Breakfast is sacrosanct.  Not sugary cereals, but eggs and fruit and wholegrain bread. Not takeaway coffee and a croissant at the desk!  Lunch is usually cooked and hot as is dinner.  In between meals, healthy snacks (excluding the cinnamon buns!) are taken.  This prevents the need for the excess indulgence once a day.

In Sweden, Saturday is sweet day!  It is traditional to buy paper bags bulging with pick and mix sweets.  These will all be eaten on the same day.  This would seem to go against normal Swedish behaviour, but it only happens once a week and is therefore in moderation. You see, Lagom in practice!

All of this is balanced with a healthy attitude to exercise.  Taking exercise is normal.  Spending time outside is normal and embracing the elements and the landscape is fundamental to the Swedish approach to living.  Exercising doesn’t mean you should be training for a marathon, although of course thats ok too.  But getting out side for a walk, or joining in with friends in a local park to exercise is a part of daily life.  If you know you are going to be consuming a particularly calorific meal, or indulgent weekend, then doesn’t it make sense to exercise a bit more on the day before.  It is not about deprivation.

As we know exercise and spending time in the fresh air are all important contributory factors to mental health too.  So why not walk a few stops instead of take the tube, get off the bus earlier, or even better, and if you can cycle, which is certainly my preferred mode of transport.  London may be busy and congested but it also has beautiful parks and gardens which are free and open to us all and many peaceful places to walk.   When  the weather is good why not meet friends for a picnic in the park rather than for drinks in the pub.

Lagom and the Planet

This is where I find Lagom especially interesting.  We know our planet is in danger, from man’s consistent abuse of it.  We know plastics are destroying our oceans and we know the ozone layer is depleting. How can Lagom address even these huge issues?  The fact that struck me most when reading about Sweden and Lagom, is that only 1% of all household waste in Sweden ends up in landfill.

“From 2015 to 2016, London’s average household waste recycling rate was 32%. That compares rather miserably to the national average of 43%. Not only that, but things are getting worse, not better.”

A Lagom approach to the planet means thinking about what you buy and how you use it.  Recycling is normal and easy in Sweden.  I am still horrified at how much waste is not recycled in the UK and the muddled approach to recycling in London where it seems no 2 boroughs are the same.

Not getting drawn into 2for1 offers if realistically you are not going to use the extra item.  Looking at ways of using non plastic items and using charity and second hand bookshops are all good way of balancing our detrimental effect on our planet.  A technique suggested in the book about Lagom I read was the ‘count to 10 method” .  When about to purchase something, stop, count to 10 and ask yourself if you really need it.  The same goes for throwing things away.  Stop, count to 10 and ask, could it be fixed, reused, recycled or upcycled.

London has numerous charity and thrift shops and there are increasingly ways of buying products without packaging.  Slow Living London has written a really helpful guide to zero wastes shops.in the capital.

So can we live a Lagom Life in London?

YES, we can!  The approach to work may take some time, but certainly in my job its not unachievable.  A more considered approach to food and exercise is certainly possible wherever we live.  And, taking a step back and looking at our patterns of consumerism in on of the most exciting and beautiful cities in the world is surely an essential part of being good and grateful citizens of our planet.

Heres to a more balanced London life and to more cinnamon buns!