It’s true: some things that affect happiness are out of our control. But studies by psychologist Dr Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness, indicate 40 per cent of the time we’re the ones in the driving seat. Happiness, it seems, is all about the frequency of positive emotion – not the intensity. And upping your levels is easy. Here’s our pick of scientific strategies for an instant hit of bliss.
1/ SMALL STEPS TO BIG RESULTS
Moment-to-moment happiness – those small spurts of joy you get from finding a forgotten fiver in your coat pocket – is disproportionately important for our wellbeing. “They have a cumulative effect on happiness that’s more powerful than big events.
Get even happier Seek out small treats like nipping out of the office for a coffee, Skyping friends abroad or sleeping in freshly laundered sheets. Two of the most important activities to make time for are exercising and doing nothing. “Day reconstruction” methods, used by psychologists consistently find these rate far higher than watching TV, shopping or surfing the internet.
2/ HANG OUT WITH HAPPY PE
Get even happier Enhance the effect by having a girls’ night out. Research from University College London found that when we hear laughing or a positive sound like a “woo-hoo” it triggers a response in the area of our brain that’s activated when we smile. Working as a group amps up the happy factor too, so try a pub quiz.
3/ MAKE GRATITUDE YOUR ATTITUDE
Taking time out to be thankful increases your wellbeing in eight specific ways, found Dr Lyubomirsky. It builds social bonds, bolsters self-worth, diminishes negative feelings, minimises social comparison, helps you cope with stress and encourages you to behave in a more moral way. If that’s not enough, it also stops you taking things for granted and helps you savour life’s experiences (the good ones that is).
Get even happier Keep a “gratitude diary” and aim to put pen to paper once a week. Dr Lyubomirsky’s research suggests that writing a list of things you’re thankful for weekly, rather than daily, leads to better results.
4/ GIVE YOUR WORK THE HOME TOUCH
We’re not talking about stashing slippers under your desk and a Jo Malone candle on top of it (though that would be nice) but adding a personal touch to your office space can boost your happiness. A study in The Journal of Experimental Psychology found employees who were in control of their working areas were 40 per cent happier and 32 per cent more productive.
Get even happier Don’t stop at your desk, put something on the walls, too. Studies show that art work – especially images of nature – can help alleviate stress. Likewise the colour blue is thought to help calm chaotic minds (the reason why psychologists tell you to lie back and look at the sky).
5/ FEEL GREAT BY DOING GOOD
A study of 10,000 people published in the journal Health Psychology found that people who regularly volunteer have a longer life expectancy than those who don’t help others. Volunteering has also been linked to lower rates of heart disease, stress, and depression – in fact, one study shows just thinking about doing something altruistic releases the glee-inducing chemicals serotonin and dopamine.
Get even happier If you’re 25 or under, download the free smartphone app Vinspired, which offers bite-sized opportunities for doing good on-the-go. Or try some real
care in the community by logging on to fixmystreet.com, which helps you report and fix problems in your local area.
6/ DITCH THE “IF ONLY” MINDSET
If only I was thinner/smarter/richer life would be a whole lot better, right? Wrong. Research shows we are very bad at predicting what makes us happy. What’s more there’s the little issue of “hedonic adaptation” to deal with. This is the body’s natural happiness dimmer, which means when you get used to life’s little luxuries you cease to appreciate them so much, no matter how great your new car/relationship/body is.
Get even happier The key to happiness is novelty, so seek out new experiences as often as possible. Do them with another person to release the “bonding” hormone, oxytocin, which helps you feel connected.
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