There are so many ways to get good work done. Getting grounded in a hygge atmosphere can bring you back to simple pleasures in life that are easy to miss in our over-planned, e-driven world. Hygge (hoo-gah) is a Danish word that has many, many layers – each one more inviting than the next.

I just finished reading Meik Wiking’s Little Book of Hygge. Here is Mike’s “Hygge Manifesto.”

How many of these elements can you invite into your life, praise them for being in your life, and talk about how cool they are to have in your life?

Atmosphere
Create an atmosphere at home and at work that’s warm and inviting. With lamps that create pools of light. Candles. Great music mixed with times quiet enough to listen to the weather outside. Natural wood and colors. Vintage furniture. Plenty of books. Plump pillows.

Presence
Be fully present in your hygge space. If you’re reading, read. If you’re watching an old movie, watch an old movie. No multi-tasking between your phone, your computer, and your current interest. If you have guests in, be a host. Ask good questions. Listen to the answers. Be in your hygge space.

Pleasure
Eat delicious things. Danes are huge fans of chocolate, cakes, and Danish pastries, of course. I’m not a sugar eater, so for me, delicious = spicy nuts, rich cheese, and plump zucchini cakes. Eat what’s delicious to you and savor each bite.

Equality
If you have people over for dinner, plan a shared event where everyone brings a dish or ingredient and not prepare everything yourself. Share your space and time. No one grandstands in a hyggelish world!

Gratitude
Be grateful for each day and for all you have rather than worry about what you don’t have. Let your friends, family, and co-workers know how grateful you are to have them in your life. Let the Universe know how grateful you are to be on the Earth at this moment, with these challenges, and with these gifts.

Harmony
Peace rules in your hygge home or workplace. Angry, aggressive words are left at the doorstep. No one brags of their achievements. This is not a competition. Everyone is with you because you like them, and you like them because they are with you. You have each other’s back.

Comfort
Your hygge house or workplace is comfortable – with cozy chairs, warm blankets, and a no-fuss atmosphere. This is a place where everyone can kick off their shoes, relax, and be themselves, and where a mug of hot chocolate, coffee, tea, or a brew are just moments away.

Truce
Hygge is a place where you can laugh or sit quietly. Where you can breathe and think. Hygge is a place of peace. Gripes and politics have no place in a hygge world, and the only competition comes from a board game or round of cards.

Togetherness
Hygge honors relationships and focuses on how fun it is to be with other people. Plan small hygge events. Enjoy them while you have them. And talk about them afterward. Form bonds. Share from the heart. Build a tribe.

Shelter
Enjoy the great outdoors, then come into your warm, hygge space where everyone feels included, safe, and at peace.

I definitely have a kick-off-your-shoes house but am looking at what I can re-arrange to create a warmer, cozier atmosphere. And it never occurred to me that it might be better to have people contribute when I invite them to dinner. I feel like I have to do everything before guests arrive. I love the idea of bringing ingredients and cooking together.

There is so much to learn in this life. I am eternally grateful to the shared wisdom I get from books. And from friends and readers! Thanks so much for your continued comments as we walk this Organizational Zen road together 🙂

Peace and love from the wilds of Maine.