Why I think Finland is the Happiest Country in the World
Last week Finland was voted the happiest country in the world for the 4th year in a row. When I first moved here I was surprised by this because I assumed happiness meant cheerfulness. You don’t experience a huge amount of cheerfulness here in Finland compared to Australia. If you’ve ever tried to strike up a conversation with a neighbour or stranger in an elevator you will know what I mean.
But over time, I have realised how content Finns are and how that translates to a more lasting, deeper sense of happiness. Here are a few of my observations that I believe contribute to Finn’s happiness:
Finns find joy in small, humble things - picking berries, a long hot sauna, a week spent in a cabin with no electricity, and a long silent walk in the woods (assuming no weird Australian tries to make conversation with you)
Exploring your interests and gaining new skills is encouraged. It is not uncommon for people to take an extended leave from work and enjoy government-paid study leave to learn something new, whether that be a masters degree or becoming a yoga teacher.
Free, world-class education (including university) is given to the whole population which means that everyone grows up with equal opportunities, unlike in Australia where your parent’s wealth often determines the type of education you will receive.
Gender equality (although there is still work to be done) means that women aren’t as demotivated or discouraged compared to in Australia, in my experience at least.
Finns have mastered work-life balance, especially when it comes to taking a holiday. Three weeks is considered a short holiday over the summer! This blows my mind as that is considered a rare lucky in Australia.
There are laws in place to help people achieve work-life balance including mandated coffee breaks, 80% part-time work is a legal right for people with young kids, if you work overtime you get that time back. Many people I know in Australia, all women, cram 5-6 days work of work into 3-4 days.
Keeping up with the Joneses is less prevalent here. People seem freer to be themselves and no expected to wear certain clothes or drive certain cars. An example of this is what people wear to work. At Finnair (when the office was open) I’d see people wearing tailored suits sitting next to people wearing sandals and T-shirts.
Parental leave means that there is less financial stress and pressure for parents, particularly mothers, to return to work when their baby is really young. A benefit I am lucky enough to be using right now.
Thanks for having me Finland, you’re the best!
Photo by Tommaso Fornoni on Unsplash