‘just enough’ is the perfect amount

Lagom encourages us to be mindful of our needs and how much is truly necessary to meet them. While these ideas aren’t exactly new – warnings against overindulgence can be found in ancient philosophical texts, the teachings of Buddhism, and in modern self-help books – it’s true that lagom feels especially relevant today.

Take work, for example. The idea that success is measured by the amount of time spent working or the number of hours logged at the office is deeply ingrained in modern hustle culture. By contrast, lagom tells us not to work harder, but smarter. Remember to take breaks, make time to step outside, and learn to value rest just as much as productivity. If you have any doubts about taking this advice, just know Sweden is ranked fourth on the global happiness index, and has long been praised for its excellent work-life balance.

Leaning into lagom could also help us shed our individualistic mindsets, because it stands to remind what we lose out when we promote our own success above all else. You’ve probably noticed young people’s desire to build in-person communities – most popularly through run clubs, book clubs, and supper clubs – where they can connect and share new experiences with other like-minded people. By prioritising community in the everyday, we’ve already started already engaging with a key component of the Swedish mentality: that our actions have a real impact others.

Lagom also goes hand in hand with sustainability, calling for fairness, sharing, and avoiding hoarding in order to create a world where there’s enough to go around. Whether it’s more possessions, more experiences, or more achievements, we often believe that accumulating more will bring us satisfaction. But in reality, and as lagom teaches, satisfaction comes from the simple pleasures of life – shared experiences. A walk in nature, a good conversation with a friend, and a warm meal are the things that bring us the most peace and contentment.

The good news is, large swathes of people are no longer buying into valuing excess. In this economy, we’re done spending our hard earned cash on the next trending product only to feel empty. We’ve evolved past letting social media trends and marketing companies define what makes our lives feel meaningful. Clearly, doing so just destroys nature, obliterates our attention spans, skews our dopamine receptors, and makes the rich richer.

It’s time to continue finding joy in the small, simple joys of life, and – more importantly – to know when enough is enough. Because nine times out of ten, the grass truly is greener where you water it.

Thanks for reading and make sure to subscribe for the latest news on Gen Z and youth culture. Also, don’t forget to check out The Gen Zer for a weekly roundup of more trending insights, stories, and discussions.

Until next time,