The ideas is to keep things in balance and not give in to excesses in any area of life.

It's also about slowing things down and enjoying the life that you have around you, in the moment.

Too much of anything, good or bad, can leave us feeling unbalanced, even discontent.

By adopting a middle way, we can be ready to enjoy the good things that bring us joy.

Swedes are known for working hard, but not so hard that they sacrifice everything else for it. When the day ends, they leave. That's it.

To be clear: your job is not worth sacrificing your family, friends, and health over. It just isn't.

Leave work when the day is done. Don't take things home to work on.

Be ok with letting things go. Sometimes "good enough" really is. Getting caught up in tiny details will only slow you down and delay your projects.

Take time at home to really unplug from the day. Have time that's solely for you. Music, food you like, a glass of wine...

Consider more physical activity. Any activity can improve our moods and overall state.

Make time for sleep. Healthy adults need at least six to seven hours of sleep a night.

Set aside time for something that's uniquely yours - painting, reading, gardening, playing guitar. Remember, it's for fun, not a competition against yourself.

Take a day off once in a while. A change of scene and a bit more variety will probably help you do better at your job, anyway.

Disconnect properly when you're on vacation. Arrange for someone else to handle crises while you're gone. Don't think about ways you could improve xyz when you get back. Unplug. Be in the moment. Work will be there when you return, but if you burn out and ruin your health, you may not get it back.

Go ahead and ask. Check in with them, see how they're doing, and get the communication going.

Don't overthink getting together. Meeting up with loved ones doesn't have to involved a lot of expense and extensive planning. Skip the fancy dinner and meet up in a park.

Use time together to work on other things. Why not do things like go grocery shopping for the week together, or have a group laundry session?

Set aside some "micro-time" for people. Take 30 seconds to send an email or text letting someone know that you're thinking of them.

Show others what they mean to you. Be present for important occassions as often as possible.

Be mindful of the effects that some foods have on you.

Be careful as you get older to moderate your intake. What you used to be able to do in college, you won't be able to do in your forties.

Focus on quality, rather than quantity.

Drink less coffee but make each one count.

Stop eating when you're full; it sounds simple, but all too often, we don't do it.

Decide what you could accept having less of. If you can't remember how often you have worn some clothes or shoes in the last one or two years, it's time to let them go.

Do a little every day. Take ten to fifteen minutes, at most.

Focus on one space or room at a time. You acquired loads of stuff over a long time, so it won't disappear overnight.

Decide where the clutter can go. Try to find a second life or at least a decent end of things (donate, recycle, etc.) before just throwing them away.

A key component of happiness is being with others of like mind, who share interests, and who just like being around us.

They are there for bad times and good and give us a sense of belonging.

Having a social circle, even if it's only a few people, is essential to our happiness.

Try sending a few messages to people you haven't chatted with in a while.

Share your stories, even if there's nothing too exciting to say.

Volunteer some time. Helping others leads to more happiness all around and is a great way to feel valued and needed.

Health and happiness are linked together.

The more your health improves, the happier you will be.

The more you can increase your levels of happiness, the more likely you are to have better health.

• Try to sleep better to improve health
• Cut down on sugar
• Move more
• Try some meditation

It's about how much free time you have to yourself.

Use your time more effectively. Prepare your work lunches over the weekend, freeze them, and have them ready for the whole week.

To get more free time, give yourself a deadline. If you need to clean up your place over the weekend, image that you have friends coming over in an hour and you need to get it all done.

It's amazing how much more efficient we can be under a deadline.

Buy experiences, rather than things. A $3000 watch produces very little long-term satisfaction, but spending the same amount on a great trip to Paris will give you a lifetime of memories.

Let big experiences have time to grow. Start planning it a year in advance, so you have time for the anticipation and excitement to build. Having something to look forward to during that time will give you a sense of money well spent.

Don't compare yourself to others.

Accept that you can't control everything. You may be careful with your money, but things still happen. Accept that risk is a part of life and that economies boom and contract, jobs come and go, and you may not always be in the same place you are right now.

Keep your word. If you tell someone you're going to do something, do it. It's that simple. Don't make promises that you can't keep; be realistic, no matter how much you might want to be helpful.

Listen and give your full attention. When someone is talking to you, listen and take a genuine interest in what they're saying.

Admit when you're wrong. Trying to deny or cover up mistakes will get you nowhere. Never blame others for your own mistakes.

Practice sympathy. Try to see things from the other person's point of view.

Practice random acts of kindness. Secretly do something that improves a person's day.

Reach out to help others. One of the best ways to bring ourselves happiness and feeling of balance is to do good for others. You help them out and the effort makes you feel good, so everyone wins!