From intuitive eating to an effortless work-life balance, Europeans have perfected the art of savoring life. From romanticizing the everyday to prioritizing pleasure, Europeans see pleasure as an essential part of life, not an occasional indulgence, not something to be earned, sought out, or scheduled. In Italy, pleasure is called “joie de vivre.” La Dolce Vita (La Dolce Vita) In France The art of living (The Art of Living). Regardless of language or country, many parts of Europe seem to embrace enjoying life, from the food they eat to taking care of themselves to how they prioritize their relationships. There’s no hustle culture, no toxic productivity, no diet culture. I needed a little help enjoying life and prioritizing joy, so I turned to Palak Dave. Beautiful Everyday: A Guide to Living in the PresentThanks for your expert advice on enjoying life the European way. Read on to find out the European health tips I am applying to my life this summer.
Meet Our Experts
Palak Dave: Lifestyle Expert and Author
Palak Dave is the founder of Enbilia, a community designed to help people slow down and enjoy life. Through Enbilia, she has hosted hundreds of events for brands like Google, Nespresso, and Bumble, with the mission of helping people prioritize real-life connections over digital noise. She also Beautiful Everyday: A Guide to Living in the Present.
1. Bring more joy into your weekdays
Raise your hand if you exercise before going to work, rush home to make dinner, relax, get into bed, and then do the same thing again the next day. Dave explained that instead of being busy with a jam-packed schedule from Monday to Friday, Europeans take enough time to stop and smell the roses. Whether they are Italian, La Passeggiata They have rituals that help them unwind in their daily lives, like the French lunch (long, leisurely, and often accompanied by wine). Dave encouraged us to create daily habits, rather than just trying to get through the week.
This summer, I’ve been incorporating more joy into my life by meditating and praying over my morning beverage and breakfast, and I make sure to gather with my family on Sundays to enjoy a home-cooked meal. After all, it’s often the simple things in life that bring us the most joy. Creating your own rituals, no matter how simple it is, like walking the dog after dinner or having a girls’ night out once a week, gives you “joy treats” to look forward to and helps you make joy a priority every day.
2. Living like a tourist in your own town
Do you always go to the same restaurants, workout classes, or bars? Do you do the same things every weekend? In the U.S., we rely heavily on cars for transportation and most cities are not walkable, which means we miss out on sightseeing and exploring local sites. But European cities are different. According to Dave, most of Europe (big cities to small towns) are designed to be walkable and social. In other words, Europeans interact with others while enjoying the beauty of their surroundings and appreciating all that their city has to offer.
Following my European lead, I’ve been enjoying sightseeing in my home state of Rhode Island. Since I live in the smallest state, I’ve been taking advantage of every inch of the 1,214 square miles the Ocean State has to offer. In addition to hitting the various beaches and restaurants, I’ve also been exploring sights I’d missed before, case in point: the iconic Watch Hill Lighthouse (hopefully I’ll see Taylor Swift’s mansion while I’m there!). I’m eager to get more adventurous, and seeing my state through a new, more appreciative lens would make all the difference.
3. I spend quality time with the people I love every day
Daily socializing is a long-standing habit for many Europeans. Take the Italian island of Sardinia, one of the Blue Zones. Blue Zone research has found that a key habit contributing to residents’ longevity is laughing with loved ones, specifically gathering in the street each afternoon to laugh with one another. Dave agreed that in many parts of Europe, it’s customary to meet up at a café after work. “It’s a time to socialize and connect with the community, and you often see multiple generations within a family hanging out and enjoying time together.”
I was fooled into thinking that prioritizing alone time and saying “no” to social events regularly was the secret to living a fulfilling life. But instead of feeling happy, I was feeling lonely and anxious. It wasn’t until I started prioritizing socializing again that I realized how important social connections are to my happiness. Connecting with friends and family regularly makes me feel so much happier than alone time. Now I have girls’ nights once a week, spend time with my family after work, and spend quality one-on-one time with my husband. Spending quality time with loved ones every day, not just on the weekends, makes me feel fulfilled and happy.
4. I try to be outdoors as much as possible
Most Europeans approach their health differently than Americans do. Instead of spending time at the gym for Pilates classes or weightlifting sessions, Dave explained that Europeans keep themselves moving by leading active lifestyles where they walk or bike everywhere instead of using their cars. I don’t plan on giving up my morning workouts completely because I don’t live in a walkable area, but this summer I’m choosing to exercise outdoors whenever I can. That means swimming in the ocean when I’m at the beach, taking walks at sunset, and bar-hopping with friends on foot. The best part is that I’m doing something good for my physical health while enjoying the benefits of being outdoors (like a good mood boost).
Think of creative ways to add more outdoor exercise to your day — maybe strolling through a farmers market or a local festival, going for an evening walk after dinner, or playing pickleball with friends instead of weekend brunch. Exercising in the fresh air will invigorate your mind and body.
5. They limit their technology
In both Europe and the US, screens are everywhere, but most Europeans spend less than three hours a day looking at screens (and that includes TikTok and Netflix binge-watching, of course), compared to the average 7.03 hours Americans spend looking at screens per day. Dave explained that in Europe, you rarely see people on their phones in the company of others, but in the US, it’s normal to be replying to text messages or checking Instagram, even while eating dinner.
Life happens outside of screens, and I don’t want to miss out on all they have to offer. So even though I feel pressured to be available at all times (especially when it comes to work), I set boundaries with technology: not responding to emails outside of work hours, being intentional about my social media use, turning off notifications, not checking my phone when I’m with friends and family, etc. Limiting screen time helps reduce stress and distractions, making it easier to truly enjoy every moment of this summer.
