WEEKLY HABITS THAT INCREASE HAPPINESS

NEXT: END YOUR DAY FEELING GRATEFUL

Plan activities that drive happiness in advance

In the previous section, we discussed 4 things you can do each day to boost your happiness. In this section we provide suggestions for things you can do on a weekly basis. If you have the time and opportunity to do these activities every day, go for it. These habits can be more time consuming and might require more planning, so they may not be possible on a daily basis.

3 weekly habits that will increase your overall happiness:

• Spend time on a meaningful activity

• Invest time in learning something new

• Spend time in nature

Breaking it down:

Engaging in an interest or hobby or learning something new are all things we find rewarding and they all have a positive impact on our brain health. Good examples are learning a new language or a musical instrument. You might even try out a new sport.

Spending time in nature has a positive effect on happiness. When we see a sunset, smell the fresh air or even have a simple walk in the park, we gain perspective and our daily worries automatically become less significant. We encourage you go outdoors, learn something new or spend more time on your hobbies. Try to plan these activities two or three times a week for the next month and see how you feel.

You might also:

Choose to spend more time with a friend

Designate time for people that are important to you. Make your get together a positive experience.

Volunteer to a good cause

Helping other people increases your happiness. Whether you help a person in need, give a helping hand to a colleague or make time to mentor a younger person, studies have shown that when we help others our happiness increases even more than theirs. Charity is a another way to help others.

Do you experience difficulties making changes to your weekly routine?

If you struggle with developing new habits, we encourage you to study these 11 habits.