Recently I came across a great word in the Swedish language – Lagom.
Lagom means just the right amount, enough, in moderation or in balance.
I don't use the words work-life balance because I think work and play are more like a teeter-totter or see-saw. Some days you are going to be tipped in one direction over the other, with a longer, more stressful work day, and others you might have more fun and play. The problem is when that teeter-totter is tipped too far and too long in one direction. The weight on one end (typically the working end) is so heavy, the play end is always up high, or you are tottering with uneven speed.
When people love their job and feel like some of what they do is play, it might feel balanced. However, we all need to step away to recharge our batteries. To find the lagom in our life.
Where can we start to live lagom?
- Food! If lagom means just right, what about stopping before you are full? I used to eat until I felt uncomfortable, but now I do it so rarely, that I feel miserable and I won't let myself eat that much.
- Possessions. If lagom means enough or sufficient, can we ask ourselves if yet another thing in our Amazon cart is worth it? Will it make us happier today and a month from now or even a year from now?
- Meetings. If lagom means the right amount is best, how about making sure that you are scheduling time for your own genius deep work time. Look at your monthly schedule today and try to remove yourself from 2-3 meetings that no longer give you value (if they are recurring) or that you don't need to attend.
Lagom is an adverb or adjective. However, I am going to start using it as a verb. I am going to lagom my schedule, lagom my Amazon and lagom my podcasts because I am getting too many in my queue.
What can you Lagom?
