Since the popularity of The Little Book of Hygge, I’ve seen a number of similar gorgeous books about the Scandinavian lifestyle. I’ll admit, at first I thought they were a coffee table decoration – to look at and skim through, but not exactly life-changing. And it’s true, that while this little book about Lagom is perfect for the coffee table, it has helped me to improve certain aspects of my life.

It really struck a chord with me when I bought it last autumn. I was going through a busy period at work and was really struggling to keep my life balanced and healthy.

Most of the advice in this book will seem kind of obvious – I mean, we all know that ’embracing the outdoors’ will make us healthier and happier! But often we don’t necessarily act upon this knowledge and we still find ourselves doing the same old thing. Staying late at work, eating ready meals and spending hours in front of Netflix… Linnea Dunne has reminded me of the importance of certain ways of living. I even tried to take some of the ideas into my everyday life. I started making more of an effort to cook (or at least bake – see the lovely ginger biscuits in the picture!) I had a mini clear-out of my clothes. And I tried to make my ‘me time’ less guilt-inducing – meaning less Netflix and social media, instead spending more time on hobbies such as photography, art, reading and walking.

That’s not to say I don’t still have days and weeks of going back to my old habits. But when life’s feeling a bit much, it’s handy to have the book of Lagom right next to you on that coffee table. You can pick it up, open it at random and get the inspiration and motivation needed to improve your day.

Since reading about Lagom, I have added Sweden on my list of places to visit. This books contains bite-sized information about the history and culture, which has piqued my interest. I like the sound of the Swedish attitude to life and work and would love to learn more about it.

And if you are looking for a pretty book for your coffee table – this is beautifully designed, with wonderful illustrations from Naomi Wilkinson (you may recognise her from The Pool). So really, you just can’t lose with this book!