Four life hacks from experts interviewed by the British Psychological Society.
Don't stress about not feeling happy: We're often bombarded with surveys that announce where the 'happiest place to live' is, or which habits we should be adopting to be happier. But researchers in Canada have discovered that actively pursuing happiness led participants to think of time as being scarce, which made them unhappy. They noted, 'This finding adds depth to the growing body of work suggesting that the pursuit of happiness can ironically undermine wellbeing'. Letting go of the 'must do better at being happy' goal may actually improve things after all!
Instead, think about creating a rich life: And we're talking in psychological not monetary terms! A psychologically rich life is characterised by plenty of interesting and perspective-changing events. These experiences don't necessarily have to feel good at the time; they might even be traumatic, but in a 2021 study, US-based psychologists Shigehiro Oshi and Erin Westgate argued in a paper in Psychological Review that work to understand the meaning of a 'good life' had missed a crucial dimension, which they called psychological richness.
Think about stripping back: A happier life may also involve having less. 'We are overloaded.' Says Matt Haig, speaking to our Editor, Jon Sutton. 'We are in a world of infinite choice. TV shows, books, friends, careers, travel (for some), where we get our news, apps, podcasts, food, cosmetics. We're simply not made for all the thousands of micro-decisions we're expected to make in a day. It's about editing our lives so that they make sense again.'
Volunteer to enhance your happiness: Several psychological studies have demonstrated the benefits of volunteering for wellbeing, but did you know that offering your time to help others has also been related to improved cognitive and social functioning and lower mortality risk? Employees who volunteer in their workplace were also found to have an enhanced sense of belonging and accomplishment, which in turn, benefits both the employee and employer. However, as chartered psychologist Dr Nishat Babu stresses, organisations and employers should ensure they support these findings by offering shorter working days, flexible work schedules, and a quota of volunteering days.