Helena Olsen - Hygge Habits: 42 Habits for a Happy Life through Danish Hygge that take Five Minutes or Less

Helena Olsen

PUBLISHED BY: Helena Olsen

Copyright 2016 All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.

Introduction

H ygge (pronounced hoo -gah) is a mysterious-looking Danish word that has many meanings. Warmth, happiness, security, friendship, companionship, contentedness, coziness are just a few of the English words we could use to translate hygge. Hygge is the removal of things that cause stress in our lives it is the ongoing pursuit of a simpler, healthier, more fulfilled and happier existence.

In my previous book, How to Hygge, I wrote about hygge and its benefits, why it is such a powerful concept and the various aspects in your life into which you can bring hygge. This book explains how to create simple and effective five-minute habits that you can use, starting today, to fill your life with hygge. These habits are easy both to implement and follow and are all able to be completed within five minutes. They will allow you to avoid stressful and anxious moments and enjoy many more times of happiness and contentment with friends and family.

Each of these small, highly effective habits, can be performed as part of everyday life, whenever the opportunity arises. You dont need to implement all these habits at once. You can make these small changes one at time, creating simple to follow habits within your daily schedule or weekly plan.

The book contains 42 practical examples of how hygge can become part of your life. These examples range from ideas for you to carry out on an individual level, to creating stronger relationships with friends and family to adapting your living spaces, to getting the most out of both work and play and more.

I have talked about hygge for many years on both a personal and professional level and have continued to enjoy the benefits it brings at all the various stages of my life. Hygge is part of who I am, and it is something I try to add into every possible aspect of my life. It is my aim to give you a resource of easy hygge habits that you can use, to do exactly the same.

This resource of habits will enable you to feel less-stressed, happier and more content, filling your day with all the positive effects that a hygge lifestyle can bring. All these simple hygge habits are explained in detail in the following pages.

After reading this book, you will be able to implement quick and easy, practical changes, starting today, that will create highly beneficial hygge habits in your own life. By making these habits part of your routine and be embedding the very notion of hygge into all that you do, you allow hygge and all its associated benefits to be part of your life and that of your friends and families. Lets get started.

Hygge and your Surroundings (Habits #1 to #9)

M ost of us spend a considerable amount of time in our homes. Your home should always provide a source of joy and inspiration as well as offering you warmth and shelter. Your home should be a place of happiness and comfort. Your living space should be able to give you every opportunity to add more hygge to your life.

This chapter contains several five-minute habits that you can start today to ensure your home will always be somewhere special to you. These habits will enable you to create a place where you can truly relax, enjoy your time with friends and family and create long-lasting joyful memories.

D ECLUTTERING YOUR HOME is the process of removing objects that you no longer enjoy or need and ensuring that every remaining item has its own place. A home that is freed from clutter will be less stressful for you as you wont be constantly worried whether everything is in its rightful place or not. Decluttering means you wont see hundreds of items in your home that serve only to divert your energy away from what is important.

You will feel more inclined to invite people to your home, to be more social, if you are not concerned that the house is messy and unwelcoming. You will have more time for family activities and hygge in general, if you are not always packing away things you no longer need or care for. You will be able to spend far less time tidying and cleaning the house and more time doing the things you enjoy.

The less you have, the less you need to worry about cleaning or dusting or moving around every single day. You can create more space and a more comfortable living environment, one that is more open to creating a hygge lifestyle, by eliminating those items that no longer warrant a place in your life.

There are many reasons why decluttering is such an important part of hygge. However, many people fail to start the process because the idea of going through all your possessions is utterly overwhelming. This is a reason why its a great idea to get into the habit of decluttering just five minutes at a time. You will be amazed at how much you will be able to achieve over a week, a month or longer.

With your five minutes, concentrate on one particular area. If you are in the kitchen, look at a counter. If it holds old kitchen gadgets that you no longer use, clear them off and put them in a cupboard. If you havent used them for many months, then they might be worth a few dollars to sell or you can just give them away.

If youre in a living room, then look at the coffee table or a shelf. Perhaps it has old newspapers or magazines or letters or dirty cups on it. Clear it all off so you have a fresh, clean surface to admire. Take a minute or two to allocate places for items you know you use often, but seem to move around all the time to wherever there happens to be a free space. Find the right space for them. Resolve to put these items back in that place every time you stop using them.

If its papers or bills that are causing the mess, then take five minutes to label some folders and file them one folder for bills for example. If the papers are old and wont be needed again, throw them away. You could scan the bills into your computer or take a photograph and then throw the papers away. Now you will have an electronic record which takes up no physical space at all.

Take five minutes to look at items in your wardrobe. If youve not worn items of clothing for months on end, then dispose of them. It wont take long before your wardrobe is purged of items that were of no use and were slowing you down when deciding what to wear.