Fika

We don’t know about you, but we’re busy and to be honest it’s taken us a little by surprise!

Whilst there’s always something to do at Inspirations HQ, one of the silver linings of 2020 was that life seemed to slow a little and we found ourselves with the time to pursue some want-tos rather than just our have-tos. Yet all of a sudden, we find ourselves without time to spare again and we’re wondering what happened.

Whilst the disruptive hustle and bustle of COVID-19 is still with us on some level, it seems busy found a way to sneak back in!

Seemingly without us noticing, we’ve found the want-tos we pursued last year have once again taken a back seat to our seemingly never-ending list of have-tos and it took a post we saw on Instagram to remind us of this.

The post served as a timely reminder that we need to be intentional with our time, ensuring busy doesn’t take over and that amidst the flurry of everyday life we don’t miss the opportunity to be grateful.

Upon consulting Google, we found that that the direct translation of fika is simply ‘to have a coffee’. For the Swedes, however, it’s become so much more than that. Fika has become an integral part of Swedish culture, with many considering it an essential part of everyday life. More than just the act of consuming coffee, it’s become an opportunity to set aside time for both friends and colleagues. 

Whilst still synonymous with consuming a coffee or beverage of choice – and almost definitely a sweet, sugary pastry! – it’s become a delightful custom that ensures a pause in the day where busy is put aside for the therapeutic, wellbeing promoting and productivity inducing act of fika.

It sounds like our days could indeed do with a little fika!  

Whether your fika involves coffee, cake and others or whether it’s just a moment you schedule to engage in a want-to, we hope you’ll find it a refreshing pause from the hustle and bustle of everyday.