Life in Europe Is Boosting Young Americans’ Psychological and Actual physical Health

  • Some youthful American personnel are going to Europe in hopes of a healthier and happier life.
  • A workplace psychologist informed Insider sure insurance policies permitted them to fulfill these plans in Europe.
  • Do the job-everyday living stability, more healthy residing, and a lot less concentrate on efficiency are assisting some youthful personnel.

Kayleigh Donahue, an American, shared a TikTok documenting her transition from crying in her automobile to a rom-com-style montage of her biking as a result of the European countryside, sitting in front of a castle, and jumping off a boat. 

“Pov: you leave the usa and shift to europe… and finally master to breathe and take pleasure in the compact pleasures in everyday living yet again,” the caption read.

With 1 million views and some 90,000 likes, Donahue’s concept looks to be resonating.

In the 5 many years she’s lived abroad, Donahue, 27, turned a single of a lot of young Americans far more interested in a lifestyle of equilibrium in Europe than the company grind in The us.

“In Europe, you are a human being 1st and a employee second,” Donahue instructed Insider.

She claimed that life style dramatically improved her wellbeing and happiness.

Though some of it can be chalked up to individual desire, there may well be some merit to her belief that lifestyle in Europe would make persons happier and healthier, Davina Ramkissoon, a place of work psychologist who lives in Eire, claimed.

Ramkissoon has viewed a selection of personnel shift from North The united states to Europe for perform.

“A single of the matters which is often caught out is they say their top quality of lifetime has enhanced given that transferring,” she explained.

European lifestyle is grounded in balance

In a 2023 Forbes assessment of the leading 10 cities for work-life balance, nine of them were being in Europe.

“There is a perception that what is readily available for us in phrases of doing work disorders in the EU is extra favorable,” Ramkissoon stated. 

For instance, the European Union mandates that all personnel have a minimum amount of 4 months of compensated family vacation, with 12 paid out community vacations on top of that.

That is a stark distinction from Us residents, who took an common of 11 trip times in 2022, Expedia identified.

Europeans are unapologetic about getting time away from work, Ramkissoon reported: “They are going, ‘This is my time. Do not get in touch with me.'”

Governments in Europe also generally assist measures that motivate time absent from operate, this kind of as Ireland’s “correct-to-disconnect” policy and a get the job done-lifestyle-equilibrium plan released this 7 days for mothers and fathers and caregivers, Ramkissoon claimed.

“We’re looking at a change towards evaluating and running psychosocial hazards in the place of work, which add towards office pressure and mental-wellbeing results,” she added.

Donahue in Paris, France

Donahue took benefit of her holiday vacation and time-off insurance policies to vacation the continent.

courtesy of Donahue



Donahue, who moved to Dublin in 2018, had 29 once-a-year holiday vacation times readily available at her work as a social worker. She utilized a lot of of people days to vacation to places together with Spain, Portugal, and Greece. 

Certain, flights from country to region are cheaper in Europe, but she was also afforded her managers’ encouragement to go.

“Work-existence stability in the US is just nonexistent to me soon after experiencing perform-everyday living stability in Europe,” she claimed. “My do the job supported me in performing so they inspired you to take time off,” she extra.

A wholesome way of living is far more obtainable

Sofi Torres-Kennedy in France

Sofi Torres-Kennedy life outside the house Bordeaux, France.

courtesy of Kennedy



Residing in Europe also improved the actual physical wellbeing of each Donahue and Sofi Torres-Kennedy, a 24-calendar year-outdated dwelling exterior Bordeaux, France, they reported.

Torres-Kennedy said that’s partly because she did not have all the things at her fingertips, so she had to perform for what she needed.

“There is nonetheless Uber Eats listed here, but it’s just not as utilised,” she mentioned.

Due to the fact living abroad, she’s discovered how obsessed Us residents appear to be to be with fast gratification: “When you want something, you assume to get it quickly in the US. I truly feel like listed here individuals are type of slower. They wait around. They have additional persistence.”

Donahue reported an lively lifestyle and healthful food contributed to her enhanced bodily wellbeing, far too.

“The infrastructure in Europe permits you to wander everywhere, so I identified myself going for walks a ton. I would bicycle to get the job done,” she stated.

And large-high quality meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables ended up a lot additional obtainable and very affordable in Europe, Donahue reported, including that they are a lot more typical than the junk food stuff she observed so broadly accessible in the US.

“The lifestyle was just so significantly much healthier,” she reported. “It adjusted my everyday living for the improved.”

Related posts