Lagom is a philosophy that aims at balance in every area of everyday life. It literally means “not too much, not too little, the correct amount” in Swedish. To live a lagom life means to learn putting the right amount of everything into your life. it is about adding up the things that you are in lack and removing those ones that are unnecessary to you. Let’s discover which amount you should adjust in order to live lagom in this article.
Table of Contents
Not Too Much – What to Reduce?
Based on your own lifestyle, the answer to this question might differ. However, below are the things that I assume are being excessive to most of us.
Stuff
E-commerce or online purchasing is driving us to buy more than we actually need. The advertisements showing up everywhere just get us tempted to bring the stuff home right away with an aim of upgrading our life. However, take a moment to scan your house right now. How many things that you haven’t touched over the last few months can you count? Admit it! It’s a lot, isn’t it? Then it’s time for you to start decluttering your house. Think about the most necessary things that you cannot live without and keep them. It’s useful to set yourself a certain number of the things you should keep in your house to make sure you will not exceed the limit. A rule that you can apply when cleaning the house is throwing away the things that you haven’t used within the last 6 months. You can pass it to those who are in need or use it for charity. That practice will also benefit the environment we are living in.
Screen Time and the Internet
It is reported that children are spending an average of 7 hours per day in front of a screen for recreational purposes. And adults spend roughly 10 hours each day on screens, too. Sticking your eyes to the screen is making bad effects on not only your physical but also your mental well-being. It takes up your time for other healthy activities such as exercises or family reunions. So think about cutting down the amount of time you spend on technological gadgets from today. In order to do that, keep track of your screen time first to get an accurate picture of how much you are on screen. Then start replacing some hours of screen-time with other physical activities. You can join some clubs or classes, or throw some regular party with your friends and family.
Work
In contrary to someone who is immersed in entertainment all the time, there is also a kind of people who are called workaholics. They are always running the clock, working day and night to escalate the ladder of success without paying enough attention to their health and relationships. That is a toxic lifestyle, too. Make sure that you are not suffering from burnout. If you are, learn to say no when you are fully occupied and try making plans or rearrange your schedules so that you can make the most out of your day while staying happy and energetic for other entertaining activities.
Not Too Little – What to Increase?
Face-to-face time with family and friends
We are absolutely thankful for the convenience that the Internet brings to our communication and the way we keep in contact with others. However, admittedly, we are losing more and more time to talk to each other in person, not knowing that face-to-face conversations better exchange information and do help cultivate more intimacy. What are you waiting for? Put your phone down and take a ride to your parents this weekend. Being present in front of your beloved ones is more meaningful than talking over the phone.
Outside activities
Again, it is still the story of technology that is providing us more choices of entertainment over the screen. However, the type of leisure that benefits you most is outdoor activities. Don’t just lay on the bed or play video games at home. Start planning at least one activity outside at the weekend. If you are working from home, try to take a short walk around your residence every day to keep your body moving.
Gratitude
The truth is that we are never satisfied with what we have and always chase the things that are not in our hands. It keeps us drained and exhausted. Then cultivating gratitude is a good way to get out of that feeling and become more present. At the end of the day, think about what you are grateful for during that day. You can write it down or share it with others to repeatedly reminding yourself to be aware of what you already have.
