For fika's sake

Think of a place you love in the world.

Now think of how it makes you feel when you’re there.

How places make me feel is something I’ve become very conscious of since I left the UK to live a nomadic life, a year ago.

When I was a teenager I absolutely loved going up to central London.

I loved the energy and the frenetic pace and the melting pot of people from all different cultures.

It made me feel adventurous and alive and as if anything was possible and I wouldn’t want to go home.

But now if you were to plonk me in the middle of London I’d probably be planning my escape by 9pm (OK, I said 9pm to appear rock ‘n’roll, it would probably be closer to 7). Now the frenetic pace sets me on edge.

But one city I could spend infinite amounts of time in is Stockholm.

Whenever I go to Stockholm - and I was there again just last week - I feel completely at peace and as if I’m gliding through life as soon as I disembark the plane.

I glide through passport control in minutes - in spite of having a frickin’ post-Brexit British passport, which usually means endless queues in other countries. I glide onto the Arlanda Express, the shuttle train from the airport, which in turn glides into the heart of Stockholm in just 18 minutes, and then I glide around the clean and pleasant streets to wherever I’m staying and it feels as if every cell in my body is exhaling with relief.

During my stay last week I tried to work out what it was that makes Stockholm so relaxing for me (and, I assume, most other people) and I think I found the answer…

Fika.

On the face of it, fika is the Swedish term for a coffee break, but there’s so much more to it than that.

For a start you don’t just have coffee when having fika, you have to have a sweet treat too, and preferably a kanebullar - a delicious cinnamon or cardamom bun.

And fika is a social thing - preferably, you have fika with other people as it’s seen as a chance to disconnect from your working day and connect with others in a face to face chat.

There’s no looking at screens during fika. Or talking about work. Or having your coffee in a to-go cup. You’re not going anywhere during fika, you’re retreating from the world and appreciating the present moment.

Fika is such an important part of Swedish culture that it can be a verb as well as a noun.

You can ‘have fika’ or ‘make the time to fika’.

Many, if not most, workplaces in Sweden have fika breaks built into their days, often in special fika rooms in the building.

It’s fine to have fika on your own too, as long as you observe the unwritten rule of not doing any work on your phone or laptop while you take your break.

When I first discovered the concept of fika I was blown away. 

As a coffee and cake lover I had zero objections to mindfully partaking in a cinnamon bun and a steaming mug of filter coffee.

But the first time I had fika by myself it was a really interesting experience because it made me realise how normally, when I go to a coffee shop by myself, I’m always writing on my laptop or scrolling on my phone. At first it felt really strange to not be doing anything other than eating and drinking with zero distractions.

But once I’d got over the initial weirdness, it felt so relaxing to be fully present with my cinnamon bun, savouring the melt-in-the-mouth pastry and the crunchy crystals of sugar on top, and slowly sipping my coffee.

One day last week I went out for a walk and down by the waterfront I discovered a cafe which had sofas facing the water, covered in cushions and woolly blankets. I ordered a bun and a hot chocolate and snuggled up for the extreme-fika experience and it was wonderful. 

I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Sweden always comes in the top ten happiest countries because fika isn’t just about taking a coffee break, it’s about a way of life. It’s about slowing down. It’s about connection - with yourself or with others. It’s about retreating from the stresses of the world in order to fully appreciate the present moment.

And while we might not all be lucky enough to live in Sweden, we still have the freedom to fika if we want to.

So my fun challenge for you this week, wherever you might be in the world, is to treat yourself to fika.

You don’t even have to go out to do it.

Just set aside some time, make yourself your favourite hot beverage, and treat yourself to a sweet snack, AND DON’T LOOK AT A SCREEN! Savour every sip and every mouthful.

For fika’s sake, slow down and take a proper break!

Wishing you all a peaceful and fully present week, preferably featuring coffee and cake.

Siobhan

PS: If you’ve enjoyed reading about cinnamon buns you might be interested in my new novel, The Resistance Bakery, (set in World War 2 Paris and 1984 San Francisco) which came out this week and is available in paperback, digital and audio. You can find out more and order your copy here - and huge thanks if you do!