How to Be Happier in Just 5 Minutes a Day
Just as it takes practice to master a new skill, training your brain to notice positive things takes practice. The best way to kick-start this is to write down three good things that happen each day. The items don’t need to be profound or out of the ordinary, only specific. This forces your brain to scan the last 24 hours for potential positives.
Related: 10 Science-Backed Ways to Be Happier Right Now
In just five minutes a day, the brain can become more skilled at finding possibilities for growth and seizing opportunities to act on them. Because we can focus only on so much at once, our brains push small annoyances and frustrations into the background.
This exercise has staying power. One study found participants were happier at the one-month, three-month and six-month follow-ups.
Related: 4 Things I Learned From Keeping Weekly Lists
Shawn Achor is a Harvard-trained researcher and best-selling author of The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness. Get a daily dose of happy at Shawn's Facebook page.