Extra Time? 5 Tips to Increase Pleasant Emotions at Home

We all are spending a tremendous amount of time at home. Most people no longer have commutes to and from work, are not walking to go out for lunch, and the social connections are all virtual. Here are some ways to spend the extra time that will increase your pleasant emotions (the happy ones):

1.    Read books that you really enjoy.

The key to this activity is that you have a real interest in the story and subject. During this time, do not read pieces of work that you think you should, but rather things that you will enjoy. Research at the University of Liverpool found that readers are 21% less likely to report feelings of depression and 10 % more likely to report good self-esteem than non-readers. Researchers at the University of Sussex found that after six minutes of reading, subjects’ stress was reduced by up to 68 %. I like to curl up on the couch with soft lighting and a yummy cup of tea. 

2.    Create a vision board

You can use a cork board or even choose a space on your wall to designate as your vision space. Use magazine photos and print our pictures and words, or anything else that you wish. For this exercise, get really clear on how you want to feel twelve months from now. Write down those words and keep them top of mind as you find pictures and words that support your desired future. After you are finished, share it with someone you live with our virtually with a friend and share what you chose and why.

3.    Listen to music

Find upbeat music that you enjoy and turn it on while you are working, cooking, or spending time with your children. Podcasts are extremely popular, and I sometimes listen to them as I am exercising. There is something about music and movement though, it is motivating and creates positive thoughts as you exercise. As we listen, music works on the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for controlling blood pressure and heartbeat, as well as the limbic system, which is responsible for feelings and emotions. A review of 23 studies by Bradt & Dileo (in 2009) involving almost 1,500 people found music helped to reduce blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety in heart disease patients.

4.    Connect with others

We are not socially distancing right now; we are physically distancing. Remember that we are never socially distant from our community. The number one predictor of happiness is human connection. This means spending time with people you care about and who care about you. Use facetime, zoom, and you can even send written letters to care about during this time at home. Try and do this daily and connect with people in your life. 

5.    Learn something new

During this time at home, we have the opportunity to watch interesting TED Talks, take online courses, and grow ourselves in many ways. Although you may feel like diving into hours of Netflix, studies show that watching most kinds of television is a slight depressant and we definitely do not want more of that. You can watch educational documentaries and shows and there are some great ones out there. What is something personal or professional that you would like to know how to do? If you could learn anything, what would it be?