The workplace may seem like an unlikely environment in which to bring hygge.
Whether you work in a busy office, are consistently dealing with clients or other members of the public, or even work from home, in general, what you do in business hours generates more exertion, effort and, yes, stress, than other times in your daily life. But this is why it makes sense to make your workplace as hygge as possible.
It starts by examining the benefits of creating a hygge workplace, as well as looking at why that might be difficult for non-Nordic people nonetheless.
According to recent EU findings, Britons work more hours than anyone else in Europe, clocking up an average of 42 hours and 18 minutes a week in their jobs.
In comparison, the country with the shortest working week in Europe, according to Eurostat is Denmark, where full-time employees put in an average of 37 hours and 48 minutes.
Rather than making them a nation of lazybones and work shirkers, statistics have shown that Danes complain less about "burn out" than workers in other OECD countries, and as has been noted elsewhere in this course, regularly come out tops as the happiest people on the planet.
The reason for this should be apparent: a happy workplace makes a happy worker.
There is a whole body of research to show that time spent away from your job makes you more productive, effective and happier when you return to your workspace.
Additional to that, a comprehensive study carried out by the University of Warwick and published in the Journal of Labor Economics, proved that happier people are about 12 per cent more productive.
People who have a positive attitude, transmit this to others and in doing so make wonderful role models for their fellow employees. Unhappy workers, on the other hand, often stifle performance, creativity and an overall fun working atmosphere.
Creating small changes in your workplace can remind you that life is all about the moment and finding comfort and pleasure.
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