28 Sep 5 Ways To Be Happy Today
The pursuit of happiness. It’s a path we all find ourselves on, but sometimes it can become difficult to achieve ‘happy’. Life will undoubtedly throw us all hurdles and as time moves on, the stresses of daily life have changed and developed. Our pace of life has accelerated immensely during the past few decades, and particularly since the invention of the iPhone. The divide between work and leisure time is increasingly blurred. We’re more stressed and make little time for ourselves, our loved ones and caring for our mental health. This, in a hectic, 24/7 world, has a negative impact on our overall state of happiness.
We’re sharing five ways to be happy and explaining how we believe that digital detox and downing your devices from time to time is a key part of finding happiness in our hyper-connected era. In fact, our own studies show that unplugging for a few days is proven to increase happiness levels and decrease stress.
#1 Spend Time With Loved Ones
Our loved ones are often the first people to miss out due to our tech habits. How many times have you had a conversation while scrolling through your phone? It’s not only extremely rude, this modern multitasking also prevents you from properly engaging in the discourse. Put down your devices and be present when speaking to loved ones, better yet, make more time to be with them and enjoy their company. After all, they say that laughter is one of the best medicines.
#2 Sleep Better
One of the first things to do in any pursuit of happiness is dedicate time to sleep. Everyday challenges and work stress are much more difficult to overcome after a poor night’s sleep. Plus, our bodies need sleep to heal and process information. Have you noticed that you’re more likely to catch a cold when you’re over-tired or rundown? Not using your phone in bed is one of the easiest ways to feel happier through the knock-on effect of a better night’s sleep. The blue light our devices release is designed to keep us feeling alert and suppresses the release of melatonin which tells our bodies it’s time to unwind.
#3 Practise Mindfulness
We recently shared how to be mindful and five ways you can actively focus on your well-being. Mindful practice is a great antidote to our screen-dominated culture. It helps us properly engage with how we are feeling, both physically and mentally. It allows our minds to become calm and foster creativity. Making time for yourself through a few quiet moments of meditation each day will see your happiness levels improve and your perception to why you may be feeling down become more acute.
#4 Get Outdoors More
We all spend a lot less time outdoors compared to in the past, especially children growing up. But putting down your devices, heading outdoors and reconnecting with nature is another way to improve your overall happiness. Last year, The Wildlife Trust designed a challenge where participants were asked to do “something wild” everyday for thirty consecutive days. And the results were “beyond brilliant”, showing a great increase in health, happiness and the participants’ connection to nature. For the children that took part, the researchers saw an increase in self-esteem and creativity and an improvement in the symptoms of those with ADHD.
#5 Be Grateful
We have so much to be grateful for. Yet, how often do we actually take a moment to be thankful? Writing a list of five things you are grateful for each and everyday, however small or large, helps you find a deeper appreciation for your own life and those in it. It helps us to stop thinking about the next big thing (our next iPhone, or car, for example) and remember that what we already have is pretty great.
So, there you have it, five great ways to be happy. Start by putting down your devices and picking up parts of your life that may have been neglected as a result. For more inspiration, discover mindfulness and how digital detox is the new, more achievable minimalism.
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