4 Changes I Made After Visiting The World's Happiest Country

Try these tips on for instant happiness.

By
Published July 19, 2024
gif illustration of woman with luggage surrounded by happy memories of trip
Elisa Falchini

Finland was declared the "happiest country" in the world for the 7th year running.

While this declaration probably shocks no one, I decided to head over to “the land of a thousand lakes” to see if I could bring home some of that happiness for myself.

But first, a disclaimer: Finland has a few major perks that likely contribute to the happiness factor there — there is free college, free daycare, healthcare for all, fantastic public transportation and a very safe way of life (I left my wallet in a restaurant and returned the next day to find it exactly where I left it). These benefits contribute to overall well-being, which can help immensely with happiness levels, yet without relocating to Finland, there may not be much you can do about it here.

Still, I made a few lifestyle changes to replicate the Finnish way of life, and I am pleased to report that these adjustments made me very happy.

I go outside, rain or shine.

In Finland, being outdoors is a way of life. The country has more than 40 national parks and plenty of forests, and about 70 percent of Finland is literally covered in trees. As a result, Finns are some of the most active people in the world, taking time each day to do everything from hiking, dipping in the lake, skiing and cycling, regardless of the weather.

So, I added a 30-minute walk to my schedule daily at around 1 p.m. This serves two purposes: It helps wake me up from my mid-day slump and gives me time to daydream. I notice when I return from these walks, I’m much more enthusiastic about my day. There have been a few days that I simply can’t get outside (I still can’t convince myself to take a walk when there are showers or freezing temps), and on those days, I do an indoor workout to get myself moving.

I stop looking at emails after 6 p.m.

Finns take their work-life balance very seriously. Standard working hours there are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with one to two hours off in the middle for lunch. Flex work has been a mainstay in Finland for more than 20 years, thanks to the Working Hours Act, allowing employees to start or finish their working days up to three hours earlier or later. It also says that regular work cannot last longer than eight hours a day or 40 hours a week. If they need to work more hours, they must be compensated with 50 percent overtime. As a freelance writer, I’ve always had a flexible workday. That didn’t mean I took advantage of this perk. I was always worried about missing an important email or deadline. But I gave this a shot and scheduled my phone to “go to sleep” between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. The first few days of this experiment, I was very nervous about my shortened day. But I’ve been doing it for about six months now, and my income is exactly the same as it was when I put in longer hours. Plus, I find I can focus more when I am working, knowing my workday will be over at a certain time.

I don’t skimp on self-care.

If there’s one thing that all Finns love, it’s their sauna time. There are more than 3 million saunas in this country of 5.5 million people. I tried a few public saunas in Finland, ranging from rustic saunas just outside the city to super modern ones in Helsinki. My favorite thing to do was to alternate between the hot and cold temperatures, which have been shown to have fantastic health benefits (everything from detoxification to skin rejuvenation and better heart health).

While I’m not a huge fan of being sweaty (there’s a reason I live in Chicago), I did appreciate the time Finns devote to simply sitting in a sauna and doing nothing else. So, I thought about what I love to do and came up with my own self-care list, which I have since tattooed on my wrist: Reading, drinking tea, listening to music and staying home. I aim to do self-care for at least an hour a day right before bed.

I splurge on organic fruits and veggies.

Finland has a super cool law called The Everyman’s Rights, meaning everyone in that country can pick berries and mushrooms, fish and forage anything they can find anywhere. This has become part of their culture, and you’ll often see people wandering through the forests with a basket filled with exotic berries and more. While I don’t have much access to foraging now, I’ve been paying more attention to the food I eat. I’ve been spending half of my food budget on organic fruits and vegetables, and I’m not sure if this is a placebo effect, but I’ve had so much more energy lately.

 Have any of you ever been to Finland? Would you like to go? Let us know in the comments below.

Danielle Braff is a Chicago-based writer who knows how to find the heart (and humor) in everyday life. When she’s not reporting or crafting smart, relatable stories, she’s juggling life with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and one very lucky dog. A devoted traveler, lifelong reader, and unapologetic ice-cream enthusiast, Danielle brings curiosity, empathy, and joy to everything she writes. Discover more of her work at www.Daniellebraff.com.