Lanzarote – A Better Work / Life Balance

Most north Europeans who move here, and I include myself in the group, do so for a better lifestyle. Canarians seem to be better at achieving a good work / life balance than those of us from cooler climes.

Relax

  • The siesta is still observed by many businesses here
  • Lunch really does take an hour, sometimes two
  • Most shops remain resolutely closed on a Sunday, meaning you either end up spending the day having fun with friends and family, or simply chilling
  • There isn’t the same need to express your success with designer clothes or the latest flashy car
  • Plenty of businesses close down for weeks or even a month in the summer, so everyone can have a holiday
  • Most people don’t get too concerned if you’re five or ten minutes late for an appointment
  • Morning coffee isn’t a cup of instant grabbed at your desk, but is a stroll to the nearest café for a natter and a freshly brewed cup of the good stuff
  • Fruit and veg are bought in season and are often organic – you can’t get everything all the time,  they can look odd, but they taste delicious
  • Health and safety hasn’t gone mad here – generally people are treated like the grown ups they are

Of course, depending on what you need to do, all of the above can mean intense frustration at times – when a shop is closed for no apparent reason, when you need to buy something on a Sunday, or if the guy you’re meeting is late and leaves you wondering if he’s going to turn up.

No one seems to worry that much though. You really do have to have a laid back atitude just occasionaly you do want to scream!