The Little Book of Lykke - Meik Wiking (Summary)

1. Experiences Matter

1.1. The experiences we have in life directly influence our happiness

1.2. But our anticipation of these experiences is also a crucial factor

1.3. This also counts for buying products

1.3.1. Buying and owning something is only one part of what makes us happier

1.3.2. The anticipation of getting it plays a big role

1.4. ...And for fun activities

1.4.1. Being spontaneous is great, but scheduling a fun activity in advance means that we can derive pleasure from the anticipation, too

2. Happiness Killers

2.1. Comparing your wealth to that of others

2.2. Being micromanaged

2.3. Inequality, both economic and perceived

3. A Healthy Body and Healthy Mind

3.1. Being physically fit leads to more happiness

3.2. Danes are happy because they are fit, and one reason they are so fit is that they bike rather than drive

3.2.1. Biking to work reduces a person's risk of premature death by 41%

3.3. If you can't bike, then walking is the next best thing

3.3.1. Taking the bus, on the other hand, offers the least happiness

3.4. A healthy mind is just as important to happiness

3.4.1. "Shinrin-yoku"

3.4.1.1. = Forest bathing

3.4.1.2. A Japanese activity that involves absorbing the rich variety of sights, sounds and smells in the forest

3.4.1.3. Immersing yourself in nature has great benefits for your psychological health

4. More Free Time - Yes Please

4.1. Denmark has one of the best work-life balances in the world, which is another reason why it's such a happy country

4.2. The average Dane puts in 300 fewer work hours than the average American per year

4.2.1. They also provide 52 weeks of paid leave for new parents

4.3. Happy Parents

4.3.1. The happiest parents live in Portugal

4.3.2. 72% of new parents say that the grandparents play a key role in raising and educating their children

4.3.3. This kind of support leads to more free time and therefore happier parents

5. ABOUT THIS BOOk

5.1. Title

5.1.1. The Little Book of Lykke

5.1.2. Secrets of the World’s Happiest People

5.2. Published

5.2.1. December 2017

5.2.2. William Morrow

5.3. Author

5.3.1. Meik Wiking

5.3.1.1. Meik Wiking is CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, research associate for Denmark at the World Database of Happiness, and founding member of the Latin American Network for Wellbeing and Quality of Life Policies.

5.3.1.2. The Happiness Research Institute

5.4. Which questions does this book answer?

5.4.1. Why Denmark is the happiest country in the world

5.4.2. How we, too, can become happier

5.4.3. What research says about happiness

5.5. Get it on Amazon

6. Being Connected Is Important - But Not Online

6.1. People in a country are happy when they feel a sense of community and when the people are united around a common good

6.2. 9 out of 10 Danes are happy to pay taxes, even though they are between 45 and 52%

6.2.1. They know that the money is going toward a common good

6.2.2. That it provides a safety net for everybody, including themselves

6.3. "bofællesskaber"

6.3.1. = Living communities

6.3.2. Voluntary co-housing arrangements, where people establish their own self-sufficient neighborhoods

6.3.3. A sense of community has been shown to increase happiness

6.4. Spending time away from the internet has also been shown to increase happiness. It also leads to...

6.4.1. Reduced loneliness

6.4.2. Higher levels of satisfaction in life

7. The Connection Between Wealth and Happiness

7.1. Wealthier countries tend to rank higher on happiness reports

7.2. But that doesn't mean that more money equals happiness

7.2.1. e.g. South Korea has become one of the wealthiest countries, yet has the highest rates of suicides per capita