The Dutch are identified for windmills, tulips, and bicycling, but in addition for having the very best high quality of life on the planet (No. 1 in 2023).
Amongst further accolades, the Netherlands (the official title for the nation) is constantly ranked as probably the greatest locations on the planet to boost a household, among the many high locations for little one wellbeing, and is dwelling to a few of the world’s happiest folks together with the happiest kids.
What it’s possible you’ll not know is that together with this well-being comes a boatload of monetary advantages. Regardless of having a small landmass (barely lower than two instances New Jersey) and small inhabitants (17.5 million, similar to New York state), the Dutch are the 15th richest nation on the planet, have the 17th largest financial system, and are the second-largest meals exporter after the US.
So how do the Dutch obtain such enviable success in each work and life? As an American dwelling within the Netherlands, I imagine these three Dutch ideas play a giant position.
Listed here are three very Dutch causes residents of the Netherlands are so completely satisfied
1. Gezellig (a pleasing feeling or expertise)
Just like the Danish idea of hygge, gezellig is all about coziness and contentment. Nevertheless, there’s far more to it than that. Gezellig can be about referring to different folks in a method that retains issues nice and pleasurable. It’s the essence of the Dutch idea of life — retaining it gezellig.
Hidden behind the concept of gezellig is a associated Dutch idea to “not make issues larger than they’re.” That is even mirrored within the language the place nouns are sometimes made diminutive by including a -tje. Due to this fact you ask for a beertje (little beer) even whenever you’re ordering 20 ounces. And even when a yacht rivals that of a billionaire you discuss with it as a bootje (little boat). It is a method of making certain that individuals really feel equally valued which is crucial to gezelligheid (everybody’s coziness).
Most significantly, these ideas additionally apply to relationships. The Dutch de-escalate and defuse issues by not making issues larger than they’re. On this method they appear previous occasional dangerous conduct, potential insults, and crosswords, and are fast to make amends and forgive. It minimizes division and retains everybody centered on what’s most vital. You see this in follow all over the place from households to politics.
2. Uitwaaien (to benefit from the recent air)
The Dutch think about time in nature as essential to well-being. Uitwaaien refers back to the follow of strolling into the wind to blow away your stress and damaging ideas. It’s a method of having fun with nature it doesn’t matter what the climate.
The Netherlands has a whole bunch of miles of shoreline and 1000’s of miles of nature trails designed to be accessible to everybody. That makes it straightforward even on this densely populated nation to get away from folks and get some train whereas letting the breeze clear your head.
Nearly everybody takes their day by day ommetje (little stroll) for this objective. And any time life begins to really feel overwhelming or issues are escalating, somebody will counsel taking a break for some uitwaaien. The readability gained goes far in retaining it gezellig.
Analysis reveals that bodily exercise in nature has advantages past train and this behavior demonstrates its worth. The Dutch additionally worth time for considering and processing. The follow of uitwaaien is a pure option to mix all of those. However it’s additionally widespread to satisfy up with mates or for households to stroll collectively after work or as an pleasurable weekend exercise.
3. Lekker niksen (leaning into downtime for enjoyment and rejuvenation)
Niksen relies on the phrase for nothing (niks) and lekker which implies scrumptious or pleasurable, thus lekker niksen (scrumptious nothing) is the time period for having fun with doing nothing. It’s typically the reply to questions on upcoming plans, basically saying that you just’re going to get pleasure from doing nothing. It’s thought-about a superbly acceptable purpose to not settle for an invite.
As part of lekker niksen the Dutch extremely worth mijmeren (pleasurable daydreaming). Time spent doing nothing however daydreaming is taken into account time nicely spent. And analysis confirms the reality on this. After we do nothing our mind and physique can relaxation and replenish. And paradoxically, our greatest concepts typically come once we’re in a relaxed state.
To make sure that everybody will get time for this rest, the Dutch put nice emphasis on trip. A minimal of 4 weeks of trip time plus eight paid holidays is offered for everybody, and higher-level jobs typically present double that or extra. Taking a trip is taken into account an vital well-being follow, and by legislation, each job additionally gives trip bonus cash. That and assured complete medical health insurance is a giant a part of why the Dutch are additionally among the many world’s healthiest folks.
In contrast to within the US, not taking your full trip is taken into account an indication of being unable to handle your work time relatively than an indication of dedication. This follows via to work hours. The expectation is that you are able to do your job inside regular hours, leaving time and power for household life and rest.
The underside line — the Dutch know what’s up
Whether or not it’s in enterprise or life the Dutch admire a scenario the place alles klopt, that means that every part comes collectively because it ought to in a simple method, but on time and below price range. That takes planning and preparation, but it surely additionally takes rested and completely satisfied folks. Because of this the Dutch prize work-life steadiness so extremely. They know that whenever you care for your self, and assist others in doing the identical, everybody will be capable of carry their finest to all endeavors.
These ideas grew out of a time when folks on this low and swampy place needed to work collectively to empty the land and construct levees to maintain the water out. The stakes have been excessive — they both thrived collectively or died collectively. The issues going through our households and our world right now are not any much less vital and likewise require that we carry our greatest to every part we do. So, take time for uitwaaien, get pleasure from some lekker niksen, and above all else preserve it gezellig.
Lisa Newman, MAPP, is a constructive psychology practitioner, well being coach, and licensed intuitive consuming counselor.
