Fika: The Swedish switch-off method that’s almost too good to be true

‘Fika’: a cherished Swedish custom involving coffee, pastry and quality time.

Our moods often sink to their lowest levels during Autumn/Winter, right? The sun makes itself scarce, temperatures drop, and our stressful everyday lives still don’t give us a break. But there’s one culture we can take a serious hint from when it comes to staying calm and positive during the cold months of the year: the Swedish. 

Sweden is one of the happiest nations in the world – landing in the top ten of the World Happiness Report 2022, no less. So if we should take a leaf out of any book when it comes to contentment, it should definitely be from the nation that gave us the likes of ABBA and Ikea. 

One technique in the Swedes’ bag of tricks is known as ‘fika’ – but what does it mean? Here’s everything you need to know about this Swedish state of mind, and how it can help us find more balance at stressful times…

‘Fika’ explained

When we think of Sweden, we automatically think of snowy, charming towns, cool fashion and flaky cinnamon buns. Case in point: these people know how to live. Although the winter season can get freezing cold, they always make the best of it. 

Translated, the term ‘fika’ primarily means simply coffee, but there’s much more behind it. Swedes consciously make time in their daily lives for ‘fika’, where they enjoy a delicious cup of the wake-up drink in good company, have a juicy cinnamon bun or a piece of cake, and talk. In fact, this little timeout is so deeply integrated that it is even included in some employment contracts. ‘Fika’ is used for private meetings, but also for professional networking. It’s logical, after all: what better way to discuss work and make decisions than over a fresh cup of coffee and a pastry?

‘Fika’ in our everyday life: How can we integrate the Swedish tradition into our routines?

Luckily, to enjoy your own ‘fika’, you don’t need much. Grab a cup of coffee (or, of course, an alternative that you prefer), a delicious snack of your choice, and give yourself twenty to thirty minutes of quiet time. Make a date with friends or colleagues and, above all, do it without your phone, tablet or laptop. Stay away from any kind of screen and focus either on being with each other, a good book or your own thoughts.

We often underestimate the importance of conscious timeouts in everyday life – and what they should actually look like in order to actually be able to switch off. To allow ourselves this time, we also have to mentally prepare ourselves for it. So scrolling through TikTok or Instagram on your phone and eating something at the same time, completely unconsciously, isn’t exactly effective. Integrate ‘fika’ regularly into your routine and you might notice that your perceptiveness, attention and motivation is better than usual afterwards.

‘Fika’ in Sweden: What do they eat?

Now to the really important things: what to indulge in during our ‘fika’? The Swedish classic is the cinnamon bun, of course. But for those who want to try something different, there are a few alternatives.

In keeping with the name, Swedes like to eat fikabröd, a kind of blueberry-marzipan roll. Chokladbollar, or chocolate balls, are also very popular, as are biscuits.

As long as it’s sweet, makes your mouth water and will give you a little bit of happiness in your everyday life, it’s the right choice. It’s kind of a faultless concept, right?

A version of this article originally appeared on GLAMOUR Germany.