Have More Fun

You can’t be having fun and feeling stressed at the same time—fun is light, enjoyable, and energizing. It broadens your horizons, where stress is depleting and limits your focus to that which is urgent. So . . . how much fun have you been having lately? If the answer is none, or not enough, look at your calendar for the next week and find a time to do at least one thing just for recreation—play tennis with a friend, go salsa dancing, visit a used bookstore. Having it scheduled will help you relax a little the rest of the week, knowing that you’re doing something to tend to your happiness. Also, encourage yourself to weave smaller bits of fun into your everyday experience—eat dinner on the patio, drive home the pretty way, play with the kids on the playground instead of checking your phone. These moments will lift your spirits and make everything else you do feel a little more effortless.