Play

Your mood is crucial to your quality of life. It can impact your perception of the world, change relationships, and influence your well-being.

Do you feel upbeat and can tackle anything on some days?

On other days, are you stressed to the max and feel off?

Luckily, there are some things you can do to change your mood.

“Happiness depends upon ourselves.” — Aristotle, a Greek philosopher

Research shows that up to 40% of our happiness can be controlled through our daily thoughts and actions.

“Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States

You can find ways to turn your bad mood around when you feel down. Some of these things take less than 20 minutes.

This is how to become happier in minutes

Here are seven simple yet powerful ways to improve your mood and be happier. Let’s dive in.

1. Seek out a good laugh

“Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.”— Lord Byron, a British Romantic poet

Research says that laughter is an excellent form of stress relief. It can lead to physiological changes in your brain and body. These changes help your overall health. 

Laughter can change your mood because it increases oxygen to your body and cools down your stress response system.

When you laugh, you experience a positive, relaxed feeling. When you are in a bad mood, seek out a laugh by watching your favorite stand-up comedian.

Laughter is free medicine, and that’s no joke. You’ll feel better after you laugh.

2. Find joy in the ordinary

“It’s being here now that’s important. There’s no past, and there’s no future. Time is a very misleading thing. All there is ever is the now.”― George Harrison, a British musician, singer, and songwriter

Find moments of joy in your daily life. You can be truly happy when you appreciate, are open-minded, and love the ordinary aspects of life.

Treasure life’s little moments, because the pathway to happiness lies in finding pleasure in everyday moments.

Small acts of joy can help you relieve stress and change your mood.

Find joy in the ordinary.

For example, I have wall art in my home office. It says:

• The past is your lesson.
• The present is your gift.
• The future is your motivation.

Every time I look at it, I realize how thankful I am. It helps me focus on the current moment.

3. Stop multitasking

When you multitask, you subconsciously tell your brain that some things are not worth remembering. 

Research suggests that switching between tasks can reduce productivity by 40%.

To improve your mood, stop multitasking. Concentrate on just one thing.

You’ll remember more when you slow down. You’ll start to appreciate the little things in life.

The constant switching between tasks encourages habits that are bad for the brain.

When you stop multitasking, you’ll become more productive and happier.

4. Declutter

Clutter reminds you of things that need to be done but are not. The illusion of order eases your mind.

Organizing your things into neat stacks and piles will boost your mood.

When you have less clutter around you, you have less clutter in your mind.

Cleaning will help you make better decisions, be more productive, and help you better manage your emotions. 

Research says that clutter makes it hard to focus on the task.

Decluttering can help you decrease feelings of anxiety. Clear thinking leads to feeling happier.

“Clutter is not just physical stuff, it’s old ideas, toxic relationships, and bad habits.” — Eleanor Brown, an American author

5. Get your body moving

Go for a brisk walk. When you get your body moving, you can improve your mood. 

Regular exercise can boost your happiness.

The happiest people do not have the most money, but regularly work out.

Research says regular exercise is more vital to good mental health than how much money you have. It’s exercise (not money) that leads to daily happiness.

Exercise increases your body’s levels of the “happy” neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and anandamide.

When you exercise, you become happier. If you want to change your mood, get your body moving.

6. Reduce your choices

Research has found that adults make an average of 122 informed choices daily.

Making so many choices throughout the day can tire you out. To be happier, practice choice reduction.

When you reduce the number of choices, you free up mental energy for the ones that matter most.

Our minds can get overwhelmed and only make decisions when we have a few options.

To have fewer choices, pick out your clothes the night before. Pack your lunch the night before. Create a to-do list.

When you have fewer choices, your mood changes.

7. Listen to upbeat music

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” — Plato, a Greek philosopher

Research has found that listening to upbeat music can improve one’s mood. Let yourself enjoy the musical experience.

According to research, music plays a vital role. It helps in balancing our stressed-out minds. It offers benefits akin to those of exercise.

Play music that uplifts you and makes you warm and fuzzy to change your bad mood.

Find a happy or mood-boosting mix on Spotify to lift your mood. You’ll be glad you found it and blasted it.

Bringing it all together

There are 7 simple yet powerful ways to improve your mood and be happier.

• Seek out a good laugh.
• Find joy in the ordinary.
• Stop multitasking.
• Declutter your space.
• Get your body moving.
• Reduce your choices.
• Listen to upbeat music.

A bad mood should not ruin your day. The key is to find a way to feel better and take steps to improve your mood.

You can feel better and strengthen your spirit in just a few minutes.

“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” — Dalai Lama, a Tibetan Buddhist monk

---

Join my email newsletter for a free eBook and more helpful insights.