How to feel hygge on a bad day

“You cannot buy the right atmosphere or a sense of togetherness. You cannot hygge if you are in a hurry or stressed out, and the art of creating intimacy cannot be bought by anything but time, interest and engagement in the people around you.”
― Meik Wiking

 We can all feel more hygge when it's the holidays or the weekend and we're having some time away from our busy schedule. But how do we actually achieve that calm hygge feeling in the middle of our busy working week? 

The Danes are very good at making sure they don't just rush through life on auto pilot but actually purposely live their life. After all, life is meant to be lived to the fullest and we don't want to put off the best moments of our life for another time. We must take the approach of doing these things today! 

The Danes like to make every day feel special and wonderful by doing something that lights them up. You won't find them saving their 'best' dinner plates for a special occasion, only seeing their favourite people on a weekend or waiting to have all the fun for when they're on holiday.

Hobbies are carried out on an evening after work, fresh seasonal food is eaten daily and time in nature happens throughout the day. 

But how can I achieve this now i'm back at work?

The key here is to consider carefully how you use the time you have each day and understand what is taking your energy. We can all be guilty of believing that we haven't got enough hours in the day only to realise that we've spent the last 30 minutes scrolling instagram. We can think instead 'how can I use my time to bring more positive energy to the day.' 

Reviewing the day with a not to do list is something I work with my students on in my signature training The Hygge in the Early Years Accreditation. It has such a big impact on them as they suddenly have the light bulb moment of ways they can claim more hours in their day to fit in more joy. 

Here are my top tips to help you this term when you feel as though you've squeezed out those hygge moments from your day. 

1. Have a go to hygge emergency kit in your work bag/ office drawer

• Your favourite tea bags (for me it has to be Yorkshire Tea)
• a packet of your favourite biscuits (M&S All Butter Viennese Milk Chocolate Dipped Fingers are always a winner for me!)
• An essential oil to provide a much needed energy boost on your pulse points
• A luxurious hand cream that smells and feels so good

2.Combine fitness and nature

The Danes prefer to combine their fitness with time in nature. Why not take inspiration here and instead of hitting the gym go for a walk or run in nature. 

3. Begin a journal of reflections

Journal how you've spent your time and the way it's made you feel. Starting the morning watching or reading the news can leave you feeling negative or worried. The daily reflections in a journal can help you find patterns in the way you feel, your mood and this then allows your to take action. That's why in my hygge journal I have a daily space to journal your flowing thoughts as well as a daily mood tracker.

4. Do an act of self care each day 

You don't have to think huge self care ideas here it can simply be tuning into your favourite podcast on your way to work, lighting a candle as you eat breakfast and being present in that moment (how does the candle smell, does the flame dance? How does your breakfast taste?), contacting a friend, drinking water, hugging someone (or a pet!) and being creative. 

One of my smallest acts of self care that brings me so much calmness is applying my favourite hand cream in the middle of the day. It's a lavender one and just smells so good. Applying it always makes me pause and be in that moment for a minute. 

5. Pause and write a gratitude list

Last year when the pandemic hit us I challenged my followers to write a list of 50 things they were grateful for. I know this was a difficult task at a time that was very hard on everyone but what I hoped to show was that even on the darkest days we can always find something to be grateful for. It might be the smallest of things like the beauty of the one remaining rose that's survived the rain.

6. Collect beautiful every day moments

You're having a bad day- Stop! Take a walk around where ever you are and look for beauty. You might have to get creative with what you find but I promise you it's there. It could  be the beauty of an emotional connection you observe at home time between a child and parent, the street art you walk passed or the happiness of a dog running around on the field by your home. 

If you start to adopt only one or two of these ideas you'll start to see that life is made up of simple pleasures and we don't just have to wait for the extraordinary moments to arrive.