To truly experience fun, aim for a state of “playful, connected flow” by training your brain to focus better and notice “delights” in your surroundings, as distraction is a major fun-killer.
Combat self-judgment and negative self-talk by practicing self-compassion, treating yourself kindly rather than like a “critical drill sergeant,” especially when facing new challenges or perceived failures.
Actively adopt the mindset of a “professional beginner” throughout life by picking up new and challenging skills, regardless of age, to combat the “end-of-history illusion” and foster personal growth.
Journal about past experiences of “true fun,” detailing who, what, and where, to identify patterns and generate more such experiences in the future.
Analyze the common characteristics (people, settings, activities) of your past fun moments to pinpoint your unique “fun factors” and proactively seek them out in daily life.
Determine the characteristics that consistently prevent you from having fun, allowing you to avoid activities that won’t bring you joy, even if others enjoy them.
Based on your fun audit, intentionally integrate your identified fun factors (e.g., music, social interaction, physical activity, spontaneity) into your everyday routines to increase overall fun.
Take up a new hobby, ideally one you anticipate being bad at, to create opportunities for “absurd unpleasantness” and moments of genuine fun, pushing your boundaries.
Cultivate a mindset that embraces the absurdity of objectively unpleasant situations, as this perspective can transform negative experiences into enjoyable and even giddy ones.
Recognize and embrace failure as a natural and essential part of the learning process, understanding that it’s how skills are developed, similar to how infants learn to walk.
Shift your attention from the outcome or “product” of an activity to the “process,” appreciating the journey, small improvements, and sensory experiences along the way.
Engage in learning new skills, especially in a collective class setting, to boost cognitive abilities like memory and processing speed and potentially prevent age-related cognitive decline.
Take up new skills to expand your sense of personal identity, moving from merely “doing” an activity to “being” someone who possesses that skill, enhancing self-perception.
Actively seek out novel experiences and topics, as their freshness naturally captures attention and makes it easier to focus deeply and mindfully.
Regularly participate in extracurricular activities or hobbies, as this tendency is observed among high achievers like Nobel Prize winners, suggesting broader benefits beyond just fun.
Participate in novel and challenging activities together with your partner to experience boosts in relationship satisfaction and foster shared fun.
Integrate short, spontaneous fun breaks into your day, as these moments can make you feel more alive and surprisingly increase your productivity through the rest of your work week.
Make more time for fun in your life, not just for enjoyment, but also because it helps cultivate greater self-compassion, a vital mental benefit.
Actively schedule “fun-terventions” into your diary to intentionally inject fun and playfulness back into your life, making fun a deliberate priority.
Adopt the mantra “anything worth doing is worth doing badly” when learning new skills, as this helps combat perfectionism and allows for the joy of being a beginner.