Kiireetöntä

Kiireetöntä is a Finnish term used to describe a state, atmosphere, or lifestyle characterized by not being in a hurry. In everyday use it denotes a calm tempo, deliberate pacing and attention to the present moment. The word is the partitive form of the adjective kiireetön, and it appears in phrases such as kiireetöntä arkea (unhurried everyday life) or kiireettömän elämän (the unhurried life).

Etymologically, kiireetöntä is built from the noun kiire (hurry) with the suffix -etön (without), yielding kiireetön meaning without hurry. The form kiireetöntä is the partitive singular, which is common when describing experiences, actions or environments as unhurried.

In usage, the term is often found in discussions about work–life balance, mental health and sustainable living. It can refer to a general attitude, a lifestyle guideline, or a descriptive quality of spaces, services and routines that encourage slower pace, mindfulness and presence. Examples include describing an unhurried day, a café that emphasizes relaxed service, or urban planning aimed at quieter, more walkable neighborhoods.

Cultural and societal context in Finland ties kipeetöntä to broader ideas of well-being and jaksaminen, especially in debates about reducing rush in daily life and creating space for family, nature and reflection. Critics note that the ideal of constant unhurried living may be hard to achieve in demanding economic or urban settings, and may require practical changes rather than rhetoric alone.

See also: slow living, mindfulness, work–life balance, Finnish culture.