The Danish Lunch: A Three-Part Series on The Hidden Influence of Your Environment

How does your default environment influence you?

A few years ago, I moved to Copenhagen for work. It was a job I adored, made life-long friends at, and learned from some incredible, inspiring minds. 

It took me a long time, however, to feel like I could perform at my best, thanks to a very specific part of Danish working culture - and muster up the courage to change the default in a way that worked for me.

The Danish Lunch

There’s a standard working practice in Denmark where companies provide lunch for their employees, enjoyed at the office, as part of the company benefits.

Sounds brilliant, right? I also thought so - it was one of the things that I was most excited about when joining the firm. (Food is life, remember!)

In practice, I really struggled to make the 'Danish Lunch' environment work for me. 

Here’s why:

How the default environment impacted my performance at work

- Eating lunch at the office meant my default environment became one where I moved a lot less, but I am at my most original and creative when I move throughout the day.

- Having lunch provided for me meant my default environment became one where I didn’t get to choose the fuel I put in my body, but I function best when I've prepared food I know will last me for long, intense working days.

- Struggling with the accepted cultural 'norm' meant I felt like there was something wrong with me, because I was ‘different’, but I really struggled to make it work for me.

I'd like to re-iterate - this was in a job I loved, surrounded by people I enjoyed spending time with.

Over time, by accepting the environment I was in - and knowing that it wasn’t what was best for me - I was eroding my own confidence, and my work was suffering as a result. 

Sound familiar? 

Here’s what I learned. I did have a choice. And so can you. 

Tune in next week to find out how!

P.s. No rødpølser was harmed in the writing of this post