Fika. What is it and why should we make time for it? We take a look at the Swedish tradition of Fika and how creating a daily ritual of Fika can help you to develop resilience, reduce stress and increase your wellbeing.
Fika Definition
Fika is one of those traditions that we think is worth borrowing and embracing. A social institution in Sweden, it means to have a break. Now one of the things that we love about the Swedes is their attitude to work life balance and wellbeing which means that fika can be coffee, cake, coffee and cake, a snack, lunch, a walk, a date or pretty much whatever you want it to be. So, whatever time of day it is, you can bet your biscuits it’s probably fika o’clock. What better way to build your cognitive reserve and create some downtime than create your very own fika moment?
Fika and Stress Management
Fifa is part of everyday Swedish life and with good reason. We’re big fans of the ambiguity of fika. As well as a coffee break it can also mean to take a break from work, to create pause and calm. Many companies in Sweden have made fika breaks a mandatory part of the day (we say ‘Hooray’ for them). The benefits of regular breaks on performance and resilience are well documented so fika presents the perfect opportunity to slow down, contemplate and create a moment of calm within your day. No wonder the OECD ranks Sweden 11th for productivity. We show you how to create a more fika lifestyle in five simple steps. Welcome to the art of fika!
How to be more Fika: Creating Fika Moments
- Meet a friend for coffee. Grab some hot stuff and create downtime by meeting up with friends. Having a network of friends to connect with will help you to unwind and increase your wellbeing. Spending time with others & building social connections give life meaning and help us to live longer.
- Go for a walk in the park. Take time out in green space, a local park, woods or a tree lined street. It’ll boost your resilience and help you increase your reserves of inner create calm.
- Down tools at work and take 5 minutes for renewal, boosting your creativity to boot.
- Pause and give yourself a mindful moment. Notice what’s happening, right here, right now. Use another moment for contemplation with no agenda. Simply see where the moment takes you.
- Last but not least, cake. Bake a cake or biscuits, add a dollop of love and share them with friends or colleagues. Research demonstrates that people with social networks are healthier, happier and live longer. Need we say more? What better way to network than wth cake. Now your practising the art of fika!
Here at Planet Positive Change we love to talk about all things pertaining to fika, positive psychology, growth mindset and resilience. Check out our free growth mindset and positive psychology resources https://planetpositivechange.com/growth-mindset-toolkit/
