I N S P I R AT I O N ▲ SIMPLE LIVING CAN REDUCE STRESS PEOPLE ARE DISCOVERING THAT EXTRAVAGANCE, FLASHINESS AND STRIVING FOR MORE CAN LEAD TO UNHAPPINESS pre-recession years, lagom teaches that less is more. But if you think moderation and frugality sound boring and joyless, think again. Increasingly, people are discovering that extravagance, flashiness and striving for more can ultimately lead to unhappiness. Contentment with 'enough' is the true route to a happy and fulfilled life. HOW CAN I CREATE MORE LAGOM? If you want to achieve a better balance, reduce stress and spend more time on the things that give you joy, you need to take an inventory of your life and see where you can make changes. Can you find ways to reduce your expenditure so you don't have to work such long hours? Look at your bills - can you switch utility providers to save money? Change where you shop? Cut out indulgences that are about keeping up with the Joneses but add no real benefit or joy to your life? It's not just about how you spend money - it's also about how you spend your time. Do you work longer hours than you need to? Do you waste hours on activities such as gaming or social media when you could use that time for the activities and people you love? How about trying to lower your environmental impact - could you improve your recycling habits? Change to renewable energies? Reduce your food wastage? The inner peace you get by doing less damage to the planet will feed back into your wellbeing. > www.athomemagazine.co.uk MAY 2017 | 153http://www.athomemagazine.co.uk