To experience true fun, seek out activities that embody a confluence of three key elements: playfulness, connection with others, and a state of flow where you are fully immersed.
Reorienting your life towards more fun requires effort, but this effort should feel interesting and curious, not like work; if it starts to feel like a chore, you are on the wrong path.
Don’t casually accept activities as “fun”; instead, critically investigate how they truly make you feel emotionally and physically to determine if they genuinely contribute to your well-being.
Actively seek ways to integrate more playfulness into your life, adopting a carefree spirit where you don’t overthink outcomes and are intrinsically motivated, as this is beneficial for both mental and physical health.
Actively choose activities that involve social togetherness and shared experiences with others, as connection is a key component of true fun and is scientifically proven to boost positive mood and mental health.
Actively engage in challenging activities that lead to “true flow,” where you are fully present and passionately involved, and distinguish this from “junk flow” which involves passive zoning out, often in front of screens, and doesn’t lead to true fun.
Recognize that distraction, particularly from constant smartphone notifications and checking, is a major fun killer because it pulls you out of the present moment; actively work to minimize these distractions.
Understand that constant distraction contributes to feeling time-famished and stressed, which in turn increases distractibility; actively work to break this negative feedback loop.
Adopt the practice of actively looking for “delights” – small, naturally appealing things that make you feel good – to train your brain to focus on positive experiences and reduce distraction.
Instead of habitually checking your phone while walking around, intentionally cultivate a curious mindset and actively look around for hidden delights, as training your attention this way quickly yields positive results.
To make the “delight” practice more manageable, aim to find at least one delight per day, spending only a few seconds to quickly jot it down, or simply acknowledge it mentally if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
If you decide to document your delights, commit to a daily practice, write your observations by hand, and complete them quickly, such as drafting each entry within 30 minutes.
Actively share the delightful things you notice with others, as this practice can foster a sense of connection, kinship, and amplify the joy derived from those experiences.
Consistently train your brain to notice positive things and blessings in the world, as this practice can build resilience and allow you to perceive good even amidst profound sorrow or challenging circumstances.
Actively cultivate a deep sense of gratitude for the universe and the blessings within it, as this can lead to profound well-being and emotional experiences.
Deliberately schedule and take breaks for activities that you find fun, as this can lead to returning to tasks feeling more refreshed, generating more ideas, and ultimately increasing productivity while reducing burnout.
Commit to pursuing more fun in your life to cultivate a sense of meaning and ensure you feel truly alive, rather than regretting not having lived fully at the end of your life.
To find true happiness, actively work on developing a better balance between your screen time and other aspects of life, as excessive screen use can detract from well-being.
Do not try to strong-arm your brain into enjoying something you don’t like, or repeatedly tell yourself you’re having fun if you’re not, as this approach is unlikely to lead to genuine enjoyment.