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Prioritizing your own pleasure can feel like an abstract task that, frankly, many of us don’t have the time for. When work and family obligations crowd an already stressful schedule, it can be overwhelming to add another to-do to your list, even if that to-do is supposed to improve your own happiness. You may feel that way.
So what about something that takes less than 10 minutes? There are plenty of easy, therapist-approved tasks that even the busiest of people can do.
Today I’m sharing three science-based ways to boost your mood. And they all take less than 10 minutes.
1. Text or call a friend
Vienna Faraon, therapist and author of The Origins of You, says that texting or calling a friend to let them know you’re thinking about them can foster positive relationships in your life. They say it’s an easy way.
“Doing something for others feels really good, and it also creates a much-needed connection,” she says.
It can be awkward to send a message out of the blue, but a 2022 study found that people consistently underestimate how much their friends want to hear from them. A sudden phone call or email is actually a blessing. And research shows that the more amazing a call is, the better it is received.
2. Do the difficult things you’ve been avoiding
We tend to remember tasks we’ve undone or interrupted better than tasks we’ve completed. This is a psychological phenomenon known as the Zeigarnik effect. This can create cognitive dissonance and actually prevent you from working on other projects.
When you cross even the smallest to-do list off your to-do list, you relieve some of this tension and your brain releases dopamine.
“Working on something you’ve been neglecting will lighten your burden and allow you to accomplish something that was weighing you down,” Faraon says.
There are many tasks that only take a few minutes. Making a dentist appointment or vacuuming your rug may not seem like it will bring you joy, but science shows that it probably does.
3. Compliment someone
Laurie Santo, a professor of psychology at Yale University and host of the podcast Happiness Lab, says, “People can feel better by complimenting others.”
Even if you feel anxious about complimenting someone, you’re likely to feel better after the act, according to a 2020 study
“Tell a stranger you like their shoes or bag,” Santos says. “Confess to a coworker about something you thought they did a good job in a work meeting, remind a friend how much you appreciate them, or compliment a coworker on something you’ve admired over the years.”
According to Santos, the effects last far beyond the interaction: “That little compliment may lift your mood for longer than you think.”
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