Nine Tips for Dealing with a Happiness Emergency--in the Next Hour.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day.
This Wednesday: Nine tips for dealing with a happiness emergency.

I posted originally posted this tips list on on the fabulous Zen Habits, but I wanted to put it here, as well.

What do you do if you're feeling blue because of the financial crisis? Or if you're just having an extremely lousy day? Here are nine strategies that can boost your mood right now in a happiness emergency. In the next thirty minutes, check off as many of the following items as possible. Each one will lift your spririts, as will the mere fact that you’ve tackled and achieved some concrete goals; by doing so, you boost your feelings of self-efficacy, which can boost happiness.

1. Boost your energy: stand up and pace while you talk on the phone or, even better, take a brisk ten-minute walk outside. Research shows that when people move faster, their metabolism speeds up, and the activity and sunlight are good for your focus, your mood, and the retention of information. Plus, because of emotional contagion, if you act energetic, you’ll help the people around you feel energetic, too.

2. Reach out to friends: make a lunch date or send an email to a friend you haven’t seen in a while. Having warm, close bonds with other people is the KEY to happiness, so take the time to stay in touch. Somewhat surprisingly, socializing boosts the moods not only of extroverts, but also of introverts.

3. Rid yourself of a nagging task: answer a difficult email, do an errand you’ve been putting off, or call to make that dentist’s appointment. Crossing an irksome chore off your to-do list will give you a big rush of energy and relief.

4. Create a calmer environment: clear some physical and mental space around yourself by sorting papers, pitching junk, cleaning a closet, stowing supplies, sending out quick email responses, filing, or even just making your piles neater. A large stack of little tasks can feel overwhelming, but often just a few minutes of work can make a sizable dent. Try to get in the habit of using the one-minute rule — i.e., never postpone any task that can be completed in less than one minute. And always make your bed in the morning! For most people, outer order contributes to inner peace.

5. Lay the groundwork for some future fun: order a book you’ve been wanting to read (important: not something you think you should read) or plan an excursion to a museum, hiking trail, sporting event, gardening store, movie theater—whatever sounds like fun. Studies show that having fun on a regular basis is a pillar of happiness, and anticipation is an important part of that pleasure. Try to involve friends or family, as well; research shows that people enjoy almost all activities more when they’re with other people than when they’re alone.

6. Do a good deed: make an email introduction of two people who could help each other, or set up a blind date, or shoot someone a piece of useful information or gratifying praise. Do good, feel good — this really works. Also, although we often believe that we act because of the way we feel, in fact, we often feel because of the way we act. When you act in a friendly way, you’ll strengthen your feelings of friendliness for other people. Along the same lines...

7. Act happy: put a smile on your face right now. Research shows that even a fake smile has a positive influence on your emotions — turns out that just going through the motion of happiness brightens your mood. In the same way, a recent experiment suggested that people who use Botox might be less prone to anger, because they can't make angry faces. If you’re smiling, other people will perceive you as being friendlier and more approachable.

8. Count your blessings. Take ten minutes to think about all the things in your life that are going right, about all the things that other people do to help you, about all the things that you’re thankful for. In the tumult of everyday life, it’s very easy to focus on the negative and to lose sight of what really matters.

9. Perform an action that reflects your values. Do you think organ donation is a good idea? Sign up online to be one yourself; it takes less than a minute. Worried about climate change? Refill your water bottle from the tap instead of buying a couple of bottles throughout the day. The First Splendid Truth holds that to work on happiness, we should think about feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling right, in an atmosphere of growth. Living up to your values will help you “feel right.”

Some people worry that wanting to be happier is a selfish goal. To the contrary. Studies show that happier people are more sociable, likable, healthy, and productive — and they’re more inclined to help other people. So in working to boost your own happiness, you’re benefiting others as well.

Feel happier yet? Have you found any other effective strategies to give yourself a quick jolt of emergency happiness?

*
Interested in starting your own happiness project? If you’d like to take a look at my personal Resolutions Chart, for inspiration, just email me at grubin, then the “at” sign, then gretchenrubin dot com. (Sorry about writing it in that roundabout way; I’m trying to thwart spammers.) Just write “Resolutions Chart” in the subject line.

Comments

[Ann N.]

My trick... Turn off the TV! It helps to get all of that negative info out of my head! I soon find myself picking up my guitar or reading or going on Facebook!!

[kathy]

I find that doing a good deed, no matter how small does the trick instantly. For a bigger boost, I just completed lists of my first 50 things and the next 50 things to celebrate my 50th birthday tomorrow. This really puts the sacredness of the life I've led so far and my potential in perspective - I have so much to be grateful for.

[Metal Construction]

Happy many, thank you

[Carrie]

It sounds silly, but I like to watch stupid kitten videos on YouTube. They never fail to elicit a laugh.

My other favorite thing is to sort through papers and/or tidy up my apartment.

[Yes, But Still...]

These are great, and recall how helpful they were to me when I came across them on ZenHabits.

Thanks again!

[Christopher]

I concur with all of them. I'd add hugging someone close to you to the list though.

[Jenna]

I love these tips - they really do the trick for me on those inevitable blue days. I frequently refer back to June 4. I can also appreciate the wisdom of doing something for a cause that you value.

[FupDuckTV]

My tricks... Drink a beer.

OR watch a favorite scene from a favorite movie ("YOU SHALL NOT PASS!", Kung Fu scene from the Matrix, Finale from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly).

OR try to make a new internet friend in under 30 minutes. Not hard to do....

[Vi]

One of my boosts is to pet and play with dogs. Or if you don't have one, play with a neighbor's or friend's dog. Tons of research show that pets boost your happiness.

I just take one look at dogs, and all of a sudden, all my troubles melts away. I can't help but to think how cute they are and to enjoy life as they do.

[Charlie D.]

Great tips Gretchen, thank you very much. More than ever the customers I'm dealing with on a day to day basis are a miserable lot and taking out their frustrations on anyone they can. I'm tempted to point them to your blog but I'm quite sure it wouldn't be well received.

[Erin]

I like to hug my daughter (who is 4) and really sit down and have a talk with her. I make myself eat breakfast with her every day, even if I am running late.

I also count my blessings: good job, loving DH, beautiful kid, health, etc.

[Dr. Russ Buss]

If I am in crisis I might do some worst case scenario-ing. I talked to someone today who used this technique when he thought he had caused a computer crash at work. His emergency thought was: "Oh, my gosh, I might get fired." Then his worst case scenario thought was: "So what if I get fired, I can find another job." He calmed down and within twenty minutes fixed the computer problem.

[Dr. Russ Buss]

If I have a "happiness emergency," I often do some worst case scenario-ing. Just today someone told me about how they used this technique to deal with a computer crash he thought he caused at work. His initial thought was: "Oh, my gosh, I'm going to get fired." His Worst case scenario thought was: So what if I get fired, I can find another job." After that coping thought, he calmed down and fixed the computer problem in twenty minutes.

[Melanie]

Looking at my vision board always helps me feel better. It reminds me of my priorities, where my life is headed, and the positive (baby) steps that I'm taking each day to create my ideal life.

[Kevin]

Happiness, is there any better feeling?

[Julia O'C]

#4 seems to do me the most good - even if it's cleaning out a seldom used drawer or closet. I have no idea why, but it's amazing how it changes my outlook.

I am very much enjoying this blog - and I'm looking forward to the book!

[Julian]

I agree that acting happy can make you feel happy. It also works with confidence. I've always found it a strange concept - faking it till you make it, but it seems to work so I'm all for it.

[Lloyd Richmond]

Whenever I find my happiness interrupted by any type of fear (anxiety, stress, etc.), I use Dr. Gary Laundre's simple stress-relief exercise. He gives it away for free at his website, http://www.thehappinesscode.com.

[Vivian Eisenecher]

I find that just reading these tips lifts my spirits. If nothing else I am reminded to do things that I sometimes forget to do. Get rid of a nagging task and plan future fun are great ones! Keep it up!

[Melinda]

Lately I've found myself getting down at the relentlessly bad news in the papers. Today I decided to only read the good news stories. There were many.

[bella]

Happiness is a warm puppy.
I wish I could have mine at work with me all day everyday :)

[cheap jordan shoes]

More and more furious with the virus, the human is threatened.

[nike sb]

Thank you for the pictures offer, will keep that in mind.

[Gaming mouse]

I dunno...usually when I try to "count my blessings" I remember just how few I truly have, and that doesn't help at all. These are nice tips, but if I'm bumming out pretty hard I won't have the strength, energy, or desire to do any of them.