This makes our lives more overwhelming and hectic, and many of us wonder whether hard work is building success or just damaging our health.

Working too hard can lead to burnout, while working too little yields no increased productivity. That’s why we should consider something less pressured. That brings us to “Lagom”, Swedish for “Not too little. Not too much. Just right.”

Lagom is a huge part of Swedish culture, one of the happiest countries in the world, with an envious well-balanced work-life and high standards of living. Simply put, lagom is an ideal instilled in every aspect of Swedish people’s lives -- from eating, drinking, leisure, to working.

Instead of working sixty hours per week in the office or bringing work home and working until late at night, causing migraines and stress, those applying the “lagom” principle will choose to be punctual during office hours, but will focus on working effectively.

There is a saying in Swedish that “Lagom är bäst”, meaning that “The right amount is best.” Thai people may recognize it as the middle path that teaches us to be mindful and live a balanced life in order to be happy.

“Lagom” concept while working

According to the typical American lifestyle, those coming to the office early and being the last one to leave are considered hard-working and dedicated, deserving compliments for their commitment. However, in Sweden those frequently working late or staying overnight at the office are often viewed as being incapable of managing their time or living their lives properly. Working hard means working within forty hours per week or eight hours per day. The most important thing is spending every minute focusing on your work for the fullest efficiency.

“Quality over quantity” is the most important thing for those following the lagom concept, especially while working. A useful trick for keeping your burdens from becoming too heavy is to plan and split your work into phases and prioritize them. Then, you start from your to-do list, tackling each item one by one, just like a jigsaw puzzle. Before you know it, your jigsaw pieces will turn into a beautiful picture.

Apart from straight time-in and time-off, another signature of the Swedish working style is “Fika” or a fifteen-minute coffee-break, both in the morning and afternoon. This is a time when workers can go out to stretch and sip delicious hot coffee with warm cookies right from the oven. It may sound chill, but this practice is also favorable for working as workers from different departments can spend time chit-chatting in a relaxing atmosphere, making new acquaintance or forming new connections, allowing them to work smoothly or even help ignite new ideas for work.

California-based startup Neo Technology is one of a number of companies seriously embracing the lagom concept in the workplace. The company encourages their staff to work just 40-50 hours per week, not more and not less. It also offers coaching at the managerial level to monitor their staff to ensure they don’t work too hard, leading to burnout. Staff will be coached to plan in advance and set priorities. In addition, the company also allows their staff to leave early on some occasions, such as birthdays or other important family occasions. Trusting its employees allows them to meet expectations, or even exceed them.

Looking at Thailand, if you leave the office on time but see other co-workers sporting disapproving looks you may need to tell them that you are working lagom style. If they have no idea what you are talking about you can share this article with them!

Let’s embrace lagom and incorporate it into our working style so that we can live a balanced life, which you will soon realize is a good life.