People in Nordic countries are known to be the happiest in the world. In 2024, for the seventh consecutive year, Finland topped the podium in the UN World Happiness Report. This year again, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Norway retained a place in the top 10. One factor could have played a major role in this: the arbejdsglaede? This is a Scandinavian concept for “happiness at work”.
In France, according to a study carried out by Forrester for Indeed in 2023, if 43% of people questioned say that their expectations linked to happiness at work have increased compared to 2022, only 27% of employees consider themselves fulfilled in their professional life.
For Dane Meik Wiking, director of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, achieving happiness begins by taking responsibility for one’s own happiness. In his work Hygge work: How to find happiness at work and in everyday lifehe notably developed the “three meter rule”.
What is the “three meter rule”?
It’s about taking responsibility for what happens within a three meter radius around you. If a colleague needs help and is within three meters range, provide support. The idea is to feel useful in a limited space, to become master of your personal space without taking responsibility for the work of others.
For Meik Wiking, to be happy at work, it is essential to be autonomous. Instead of waiting to receive orders or be held accountable, everyone is in charge of their own space, which frees up time for their superior.
“Your happiness at work is your responsibility. If you want arbejdsglaede, you can’t wait for your colleagues or your boss to do something. You have to start with yourself,” assures Meik Wiking.
Some tips for growing arbejdsglaede?
To cultivate arbejdsglaede, the author recommends starting your day with a “level 5 good morning.” Namely, greet your colleagues in a warm, friendly and cheerful way. Look them in the eye when starting a conversation and don’t shy away from your smile.
Wiking also recommends practicing a daily gratitude exercise. Before you leave work in the evening, make a list of three good things that happened during the day. This exercise trains the brain more easily about the positive aspects of work. That’s good, gratitude is good for your health, it’s proven by science!
Finally, Wiking emphasizes the importance of celebrating your victories. “When something works well at work, when you succeed, it should be celebrated,” he declares. Instead of focusing on what’s going wrong, focus on your successes.
Why do you want to have fun?
For Meik Wiking, it is thanks to “hygge”, which he mentions in the title of his book, that Scandinavians are so happy. This word, pronounced “hou-ga” evokes the Nordic ideal of comfort, conviviality, simplicity and well-being. This is what you feel when you are in your living room watching a Christmas movie under the blanket while it is snowing outside or when you share a delicious meal, surrounded by your loved ones around a pretty table.
Source: www.topsante.com
