Work-Life Balance Expressions
Livspusslet, fredag efter tre, flextid — Sweden's most protected value.
The Swedish balance machine: industrisemestern, the four-o'clock exodus, out-of-offices that mean it — det är det som får det att fungera.
- 1
livspusslet
the life puzzle
Tip: lit. the same — the Swedish word for fitting work and family together.
- 2
balans mellan jobb och fritid
work-life balance
Tip: lit. the same.
- 3
flextid
flexible working hours
Tip: lit. 'flex time' — standard in most Swedish offices.
- 4
jobba hemifrån
to work from home
Tip: lit. the same.
- 5
gå tre för att hämta på förskolan
to leave at three to collect the children
Tip: lit. the same — entirely normal here, and nobody comments.
- 6
hämtningstid
nursery pick-up time
Tip: lit. 'collection time' — it structures the Swedish working day.
- 7
inga möten efter fyra
no meetings after four
Tip: lit. the same — a real policy in many workplaces.
- 8
vara ledig från mejlen på kvällen
to be off email in the evening
Tip: lit. the same.
- 9
rätten att inte vara nåbar
the right to disconnect
Tip: lit. 'the right not to be reachable'.
- 10
fem veckors semester
five weeks' holiday
Tip: lit. the same — the legal minimum.
- 11
fyra veckor i sträck på sommaren
four weeks in a row in summer
Tip: lit. the same — also a legal right.
- 12
industrisemestern
the July shutdown
Tip: lit. 'the industry holiday' — the country closes.
- 13
vara riktigt ledig
to be properly off
Tip: lit. the same.
- 14
ingen förväntar sig svar i juli
nobody expects a reply in July
Tip: lit. the same.
- 15
vabba
to take days off with a sick child
Tip: lit. the same — paid, and used by everyone.
- 16
gå ner i tid
to reduce your hours
Tip: lit. 'go down in time'.
- 17
åttio procent
eighty percent
Tip: lit. the same — a very common Swedish arrangement.
- 18
fyradagarsvecka
a four-day week
Tip: lit. the same — increasingly discussed.
- 19
jobba över helgen
to work over the weekend
Tip: lit. the same — and be pitied for it.
- 20
sätta gränser
to set boundaries
Tip: lit. the same.
- 21
värna om kvällarna
to protect your evenings
Tip: lit. 'safeguard the evenings'.
- 22
pendlingen äter upp dagen
the commute eats the day
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
flytta närmare jobbet
to move closer to work
Tip: lit. the same.
- 24
ingen ligger på dödsbädden och önskar att de jobbat mer
nobody lies on their deathbed wishing they'd worked more
Tip: lit. the same.
- 25
jobba för att leva, inte leva för att jobba
work to live, not live to work
Tip: lit. the same.
- 26
det är bara ett jobb
it's only a job
Tip: lit. the same.
- 27
trevlig helg!
have a good weekend!
Tip: lit. the same — said from Thursday onwards.
- 28
en tidbank
a working-time bank
Tip: lit. the same — save overtime as days off.
- 29
ta ut det i tid istället för pengar
to take it as time instead of money
Tip: lit. the same — a common Swedish choice.
- 30
komprimerad arbetsvecka
a compressed week
Tip: lit. the same — longer days, shorter week.
- 31
tjänstledighet
a sabbatical
Tip: lit. 'leave of service' — unpaid, and a legal right in some cases.
- 32
studieledighet
to study on leave
Tip: lit. the same — you have the right to return.
- 33
tjänstledig för att starta företag
to start a business on leave
Tip: lit. the same — six months, by law.
- 34
rätt att gå ner i tid
a right to reduce hours
Tip: lit. the same — until the child is eight.
- 35
tjugofem procent mindre
twenty-five percent less
Tip: lit. the same — the legal maximum reduction.
- 36
tappa pension på det
to lose pension by doing it
Tip: lit. the same — the hidden cost.
- 37
värt att veta i förväg
worth knowing in advance
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
ett gåmöte istället
a walking meeting instead
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
mötesfria fredagar
no meetings on Fridays
Tip: lit. 'meeting-free Fridays' — a real policy.
- 40
fokustid i kalendern
focus time in the calendar
Tip: lit. the same.
- 41
boka in den och värna den
to block it and defend it
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
ett frånvaromeddelande som gäller
an out-of-office that means it
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
jag läser inte mejl förrän den tolfte
I will not read email until the twelfth
Tip: lit. the same — and Swedes mean it.
- 44
kontakta min kollega istället
contact my colleague instead
Tip: lit. the same.
- 45
ingen tar illa upp
nobody is offended
Tip: lit. the same.
- 46
för att alla gör det
because everyone does it
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
det är det som får det att fungera
that's what makes it work
Tip: lit. the same.