Did you know that Denmark is the happiest place in the world? According to a recent study, the quality of life in this Nordic country is incredibly high, and they have a unique mindset that allows them to stay on the top of the list. Let’s see some of the reasons why Danes are the happiest people.
Danes Have Good Work Nature
Danes have a beautiful routine that many foreigners often find hard to understand. Namely, they manage to balance work and personal life with ease, and they take pride in what they do. If you are looking for a country with a healthy approach to work, you need not look further than Denmark.
The country has a lot of flexibility when it comes to work. In addition, there are six weeks of vacation per year, and they are mandatory. Yes, you read it right. In Denmark, you will go on your holiday whether you want it or not! So, people don’t need to worry about whether they will have enough time to spend with their family or kids. Oh, and while we are on the subject of children, Danes get a total of fifty-two weeks of maternity leave.
But even the workweek is shorter compared to the rest of the world. In Denmark, people work thirty-three hours per week. In the rest of the civilized world, the numbers are around forty, and it can get quite ridiculous if there is a need for overtime.
Better Work Benefits
Danes work less but get better work benefits. People in Denmark have free healthcare, education, childcare, and, as we mentioned, maternity leave. And that is just the beginning. There are so many benefits people get from their work that it seems nearly impossible. At the same time, taxes in the country are 45%, and people are more than willing to pay them.
People who earn more than $67,000 per year will have an even higher tax rate. But that’s perfectly fine for them. And what happens if you lose your job? Well, it turns out it’s not a big deal. The country also has unemployment built into the entire system.
All that allows employers to have more freedom and fire someone if they feel like it. What happens then is that the government has a program to retrain the person and find them a better job, one more suited for them. Unemployment benefits are available for up to two years as well! So, it is starting to be a lot clearer why happiness rankings are putting Denmark at the top.
The Hygge Lifestyle
What is hygge? Hygge is a lifestyle characteristic for people of Danish culture. They tend to create a beautiful cozy atmosphere, and the key is in simplicity. Danes love being surrounded by friends and family members. If you want, you can imagine a cold winter day, with a bunch of friends sitting in front of a fireplace, wrapped in a blanket, sipping mjød.
However, hygge can be whatever you want. It is something that makes you feel at peace with yourself. Something that brings you a soul-warming pleasure. It just shows the importance of doing something you love doing and sharing that special time with your friends and family.
And this trend is close to being religious. The story about hygge has spread around the world, and you can find numerous ideas of how to achieve the happiness levels of Nordic countries. Naturally, it is not easy to find time for yourself in other places, especially for those forced to do more than one job. But a work-life balance is crucial to happiness, and you will need to find a way to enjoy yourself.
Danes Have Trust in People Around Them
Danes Have Trust in People Around ThemPeople in Denmark trust each other. It is as simple as that. Many people talk about Danes not locking their homes or cars since there is no reason for it. The quality of life in this Nordic country is rather high. In fact, it is one of the best countries in the world in that regard. So, how is this possible?
Well, Danes talk about trust and teach it to everyone. What makes it incredible is that 80% of Danes trust other people. This includes their neighbors, co-workers, and even their government. Institutions work. They have health care, and there is no reason to doubt anything.
One of the things that play a crucial role here is that Denmark is a small country. There are less than six million people there. If you compare it to the United States, where there are over 331 million, you can see why things are a lot easier. What is interesting is that people who grew up in other countries easily accept the “new” Danish way of thinking. That is, they become more open and trusting.
They Spend More Time With Family
Family plays an important role for Danes. Some people claim that if Danes worked every single week in a year, they would have an average of twenty-seven work hours per week. And that is almost half of what the rest of the world is having. With this time, people in Denmark have more space to do what they enjoy. They can explore different hobbies, spend time with friends, and of course, family.
The level of stress only increases when family members are not able to see each other. But Danish people work in a different way. They have more time to see each other, and it is perfectly natural for the stress levels to be as low. If you combine all of these factors, it is easy to see why this is the happiest country in the world. Or at least one of the happiest.
Danes Believe in Humility
Once you see that overall happiness is quite high, the quality of life is exceptional, and it is significantly simpler to be a better person. And people in Denmark are doing just that. They have a specific mindset that allows them to be humble. They see everyone as equal and try to avoid putting themselves above others.
They truly believe in the saying, “Don’t act like you’re better, smarter, or richer than anyone else,” and they practice it in their everyday lives. This is something that applies to almost all Danes, and many see “being average” as a true goal.
Additionally, you won’t see a lot of people bragging about what they own. There aren’t many fancy cars, and rich people don’t wear shiny expensive clothes. It’s quite the opposite. They dress normally. Danes understand that they need to work together, so you won’t see many people boasting or struggling. Extremes are not something they enjoy.
This mindset is quite impressive and interesting to see. With all the safety nets they created as a society, it is easier for them to experiment and take risks. And this allows them to enjoy life to the fullest. There are so many things we could learn from Denmark, Norway, and Finland, and it is never too late to start learning.
