How To Live The Hygge Life

(Last Updated On: )

 

The cooler temperatures at night and refreshing crisp early morning air is invigorating after the hot summer we had this year. It’s a gentle reminder to slow down, get cozy, and cultivate the hygge mindset. Enjoy this post on how to live the Hygge life this Fall, which can be done inexpensively with only a slight shift in thinking.

I’m a busy lady these days, but I tend to operate in “busy mode” often. I’m not proud of it. Being busy actually just leaves me exhausted, with very little else. To combat this tendency, I’ve brought awareness to spending my leisure time with people I enjoy, doing activities that make me happy.

Be “Off the Clock”

I recently took to heart a few lessons presented in the book Off the Clock by Laura Vanderkam. She is a mother of four, and that’s all the credibility she needs from me to know that she has to manage her time well. One of her lessons that I plan to utilize is a mini-vacation (Vanderkam). The idea is that you don’t even have to leave your city. You don’t even have to leave your home. You simply have to stop working, and stop worrying, and allow your mind to be “off the clock.” Wow, seems so obvious doesn’t it? How often are we incessantly somewhere else in our mind instead of cooking with our family, relishing the coziness of a fire, truly tasting our morning coffee? 

Choose to Linger

Another lesson this book can teach is the ability to warp your own time to feed your happiness. Obviously, you’re not really warping time, but you’re scheduling enough time to truly enjoy an experience. One way is to choose to linger in these experiences. Lingering doesn’t have to be long extended periods of time either (Vanderkam). It can be staying at the coffee shop 10 more minutes to finish your cup instead of rushing to the next event. It can be giving yourself 10 minutes to catch the remaining sunset, snuggling under the covers with your toddler, or staying up a little later to laugh and chat with your best friends (Vanderkam).

Prioritize these moments, because usually these are the moments you’ll remember, and are what make life enjoyable. Pack in more memorable enjoyable moments, and it will seem like you have more leisure time (Vanderkam). As a consequence you’ll feel less busy.

A great way to linger in moments of enjoyment is to follow the Danes, what some say are the happiest people on Earth. Recently, I picked up The Little Book of Hygge. The book describes how the Danes cultivate “Hygge” and it in many ways drives the nation’s happiness.

A direct translation of the Norwegian and Danish word “Hygge” is rather hard to find in English, but the closest was described as a feeling of coziness and contentment (Wiking). In my personal opinion, it seems like a party for introverts! I love moments with small groups of people or by myself where I feel cozy and calm. The Fall season brings about this feeling more than ever and for someone who is actively trying to create beautiful moments this book was a great read.

Live the Hygge Life This Fall

To cultivate “Hygge” here are a few steps:

Ingredients: Hygge mindset, Warm sweater, thick socks, blanket, book, candles or fire, soft music, comfort food, a hot drink, a small group of friends, cards, games, a movie or just conversation.

Light candles

I’ve always loved a great candle, and it certainly relaxes the eyes to put you in a hygge mood. If it’s already the evening, light some candles while you cook or read. The mindset of hygge is the most important. You can’t have hygge without being truly content.

Prepare Food

Food is an important ingredient to the hygge life. Candles are lit, and you’ve got chili in the crock pot and cornbread in the oven. Or maybe it’s chicken noodle soup with crusty bread, or a crock pot stew, whatever your comfort food is go with it! Having a meal that can be put into a crock pot, or is a “hot dish” like we call it in Minnesota, would be ideal. This way no one will have to be thinking about preparing a meal or worried about adding extra ingredients. 

Add Music 

Find hygge by adding music. I find that acoustic is the most relaxing, but perhaps it’s classical for you. My mom loves listening to Patsy Cline. Whatever it is, play it softly as you cook and relish the moment of preparing a meal for friends, yourself, or your family.

Prepare a Hot Drink 

Live the hygge life with a hot drink. Apple cider sounds fitting with Fall just beginning. Hot cocoa is another favorite, tea, coffee or hot mulled wine.

Linger and Relish the Moment

Once your meal is prepared and cooking, sit down with your thick socks and warm sweater and take a moment to enjoy. Maybe your kids are playing and you can hear their laughter from the other room. Your guests haven’t arrived yet and now you can relish the atmosphere you created. Feel the comfort of your warm toes, the blanket wrapped around your shoulders and take a sip of your warm apple cider. Delightful.

Final Words

The rest of the evening could go anyway you perceive. Your friends arrive and drinks are served. Chili is poured.  Soft music plays. Conversation is engaging. Hygge can also be practiced alone, which my introvert-self loves. The idea is that you are spending your time with a few select people you really enjoy and sharing a calm, content and cozy moment.

Take time to be “Off the Clock” this Fall and linger in the moment.  Deadlines can wait. There is a moment to be enjoyed. Wishing you all the Hygge life this Fall!Check out this video for a snapshot of Hygge, and check out this Ted Talk from Laura Vanderkam on how to gain control of your free time. You might also enjoy this post on how to create a cozy Fall capsule wardrobe, and the benefits of a sauna (another great way to live the Hygge life this Fall).

Join the Discussion

What’s the easiest way you cultivate a Hygge mindset?

P.S. We always ask readers to follow us on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. We consciously try to document our everyday simple lives with wellness, financial literacy, and minimalism tips. If you’re trying to cut out social media, you’ll need to subscribe directly to this blog. We welcome you to join us!

Author

-Maria Halcumb
B.A. in Secondary Education, English, and Physical Education
M.A. Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction and Reading Specialist

Sources:

Vanderkam, Laura. Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done. Portfolio/Penguin, 2018.

Wiking, Meik. The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well. Thorndike Press, a Part of Gale, Cengage Learning, 2017.