In a fast-paced, unpredictable, productivity-focussed world, we need to find ways of bringing joy to our life every day. How so? Here are 10 simple things we think will spark joy for you!
1. Lean into your creativity
We are all creative in some way. Let your creativity shine in an activity like painting, writing, colouring (yes, adult colouring books are a thing!), playing an instrument, scrapbooking, knitting, or anything else that resonates with you!
Remember: you don’t have to master a skill in order for it to make you happy. You can enjoy a creative activity for the sake of tapping into your creative mind each day and having fun!
2. Connect with friends daily
Making an effort to connect with a friend each day can be such a game-changer for your daily joy. Even when we can’t see friends face to face, we can certainly call, video call, or text them!
We think phone calls are underrated in today’s age. Call up a friend—just to say hello! Talking to a friend just because is likely to brighten up your mood, because you remember that you have people in your life who love you, support you, and are there for you, living life alongside you, which is always reassuring.
3. Carve out time for yourself
Connecting with friends is awesome, but connecting with yourself is integral too! Whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert, spending time with yourself is something you should make space for.
You can find alone time in the mornings before your workday starts, mid-day to recharge, or at night time when you’re winding down—any time of day that suits you and feels right. The important thing is that you take time to reflect by yourself and take in what you experience each day in this often chaotic, high-pressure life.
4. Enjoy a new or old hobby
Aren’t hobbies wonderful? It feels incredible to have something you are so passionate about and just absolutely love doing. You might already have a hobby in mind that you love to spend time doing, or you might be itching to try something new, or maybe you want to get back into an old hobby you’re sad to have drifted from.
Whatever it is that you love doing, do that thing! Having a hobby rewards your overall physical and mental wellbeing, and it is sure to bring some joy to everyday life.
5. Try new family activities
Go beyond Netflix nights! Some ideas for new ways to spend quality family time? Try out new board games, play a classic like hide and seek, have fun with DIY crafts, go on a walk together, play a sport, explore new areas of your city, and so on! There are so many different things you can do with your family that will be fun for everyone and allow you to connect in unique and varying ways! Keep everyone on their toes with your family experiences!
6. Get moving!
You don’t need us to tell you that exercise is good for you, but this is just a reminder that any form of physical activity is great and will bring more joy to your life! Even if you can only fit in some light stretching or yoga each day, that’s amazing! Putting effort into keeping your body active, despite the challenge of fitting physical activity into your busy life, is true self-love. And self-love = joy.
7. Learn
Make a habit of learning each day! It is so rewarding to prioritize keeping your mind healthily stimulated, even just a little every day. You can incorporate more learning into your life by reading informative books or articles, watching educational documentaries or YouTube videos, or even attending classes for something you are interested in.
Whatever it is that you like to learn about, keep learning!
8. Dedicate time to tech-free mindful living
It’s scientifically proven that taking breaks from technology has significant benefits for physical and mental health, sleep, productivity, interpersonal connections, and more! As such, taking a mindful break from screens and devices each day is an effective way to bring more joy into your life.
You can implement this daily healthy habit by, for example, making it a rule to ditch your devices after 8 pm each night or rules that you won’t touch your device during meal times.
9. Practice gratitude
You have probably heard this before, but it’s a popular tip because it really does work! Saying thank you for the everyday gifts and kindness and love we experience in our life is practicing a glass half-full perspective. We are reminding ourselves of the good in our days, every day, and taking note of everything we have that we are grateful for. So naturally, it makes total sense that gratitude breeds joy.
10. Give to others
Lastly, our final way of bringing joy to your life every day is by giving back to others. This encompasses a whole range of giving: complimenting a stranger, checking up on a friend’s mental health, donating to a cause you care about, creating an annual giveback strategy.
We can only give so much to others every day, so sometimes our giving back will be small, but it’s never insignificant. Remembering to make other people’s days better is a joyful thing!
We are constantly seeking new joys, so this list isn’t comprehensive by any means! We encourage you to find ways to implement joyful activities into your day and experience the magic of self-care!