12 Minutes to a Happier You

You probably know how to cope with hard times and bad moods. Actually, we all know. Each day we wake up and follow our morning rituals. We feel great and ready to tackle different tasks but then suddenly, something or someone spoils your mood and ruins your entire day. This happens to me almost every day but I don’t allow it to prevent me from accomplishing my daily tasks and being successful and happy. Regardless of your busy schedule, you can take 12 minutes to feel happier today. Pick one of these ways to banish stress and enjoy your day.

1.12 minutes of self-care

The modern rhythm of life often does not allow us to enjoy what is happening, take care of ourselves, and appreciate our beauty. But each of us is unique, and everyone deserves to devote at least a little time to themselves every day to become even happier and more beautiful.

Schedule time to relax during the day. Even 12 minutes alone will help you save energy to cope with expected and unexpected difficulties. Relax and allow yourself to do nothing. Don’t pick up your phone during this time.

2.12 minutes of gratitude

No matter who or what ruined your day, spend 12 minutes writing down 12 things you are grateful for right now, instead of cursing and hating everything and everyone in your life.

Gratitude has a huge power. It can make a poor person rich and a miserable person happy in a few minutes. Each morning I spend 12 minutes practicing gratitude and suggest that you try this wonderful morning ritual too. 12 minutes will be enough to make you smile, happy and strong.

3.12 minutes of sleep

When you feel tired and overwhelmed, you can’t be happy. Constant lack of sleep takes away the shine of the eyes and the freshness of the face, making a woman exhausted and dissatisfied. Taking a 12-minute nap in the middle of the day will help you feel more awake, refresh your mind and boost your mood.

It’s a healthy way to fight stress that you can turn into a daily habit. Some companies allow their employees to take a short nap and they even have special rooms for it. Many employers believe a short nap boosts productivity and improves the health of their employees.

4.12 minutes of physical exercises

Another valuable tip is to spend 12 minutes to a happier you for physical exercise. Physical activity increases the level of endorphins and reduces the level of cortisol and adrenaline in our bodies. It is also a proven remedy for depression and anxiety.

More: 8 Ways to Become Strong in Spirit in a Week

Small physical exercises have a significant impact on our happiness in everyday life. People who exercise at least once a week are more cheerful than those who do not exercise. The benefits of 12 minutes of exercise can last up to 12 hours.

5.12 minutes of fun

Animals can teach us many precious lessons about happiness. Spend 12 minutes watching some fun pictures of animals or your own pets. You can do it anytime you feel down. Smiles and laughter are guaranteed!

I also have a game called Talking Ginger on my phone and play it every time I need to boost my mood. It’s a short game so it doesn’t distract me from my tasks. There are many other similar games where pets do many fun and crazy things. After all, who said such games are for kids only?

6.12 minutes for cleaning

Spend 12-15 minutes cleaning an area in your home. Then on the weekends, you can devote this time to your loved ones or your favorite pastime. Clean houses and organized spaces have been proven to reduce stress, improve happiness, and improve your eating and exercise habits.

7.12 minutes of meditation

Some people spend 5 minutes meditating, while others a few hours. It all depends on you. I’ve found that a 12-minute meditation helps to feel peacefulness and happiness, and helps to banish stress with no effort.

Give such a meditation a try to find out if it works for you. You can meditate almost anywhere – at home, at work, in a hotel room, on the bus, at the airport, in the park, anywhere.

8.12 minutes of planning

Take 12 minutes to create a daily routine or plan for the week/month. Having a plan helps you take action. In the morning, imagining precisely what tasks you will complete and how well you will cope with them, you can find answers to those questions that have worried you for a long time. It is important to think not about whether you will achieve the goal but how exactly you will do it. As a result, your positive thinking can affect your mood.

In actions, we connect our internal idea of our desired sense of self and future with the reality that surrounds us. The presence of a vision, a dream, and an understanding of one’s mission help to see the fulfillment of plans as a way of self-realization. Then the world around you is filled with opportunities, not obstacles. In this unity approach, we live and feel the perspective, which can make us happier.

9.12 minutes of walk

You don’t need to walk all day long in order to find yourself and feel happy. I performed a few experiments with walking in order to discover the best amount of time we should spend walking each day. A 12-minute walk is one of the best ways to clear your mind and improve your mood, not to mention that it’s a good, heart-friendly workout.

10.12 minutes of reading inspiring quotes

When you feel down, nothing seems to help you. Reading some inspiring quotes, though, can do wonders for you and prevent you from overthinking and overeating. 12 minutes will be enough to inspire you to love yourself and your whole life. There are plenty of different inspiring quotes for different types of people. Choose a few favorite quotes and keep them handy in case you need them during the hard times.

11.12 minutes of listening to music

Another one of the most popular ways to feel happy is listening to music. Music, like no other art, can influence and create mood. Therefore, listening to appropriate music can not only make you happy but also, for example, lead a person into an excited state.

In the morning, it is better to listen to cheerful and rhythmic music, it will help you wake up and energize you for the whole day. Also, cheerful and energetic music, influencing the human psyche, replaces sorrow with joy and sadness with optimism and the love of life. Calm and smooth music will help you relax and calm down, distract you from everyday worries, reduce the number of thoughts in your head and focus on self-regulation. Slow and relaxing music affects a person like a sleeping pill.

In any case, by listening to musical compositions that you like, your body releases dopamine, which is extremely sensitive to neurochemical effects. In this case, music helps people feel much happier and more cheerful.

12.12 minutes of excitement

You may be surprised that this item is also included in the list of things to do to become happier. However, this is very helpful advice.

The fact is that trying not to worry all day and every day leads to burnout. Set aside 12 minutes a day to give yourself over to worry. Write down the problems that bother you and the options for solving them. When you put your fears and anxieties on paper, they no longer seem excessive.

We live in a busy culture that focuses on career goals, success and money. We don’t pay enough attention to the way we feel each day. It’s very sad. You may be a super busy person who doesn’t have time for meditation, reading, walking or napping, but do you really think you need a lot of time to be happy? I’m sure you can find those 12 minutes to better yourself and develop new, healthy habits that will help you live a longer, happier and healthier life. Set a good example for everyone around you by showing how to be happy in a matter of a few minutes. Do you think 12 minutes are enough to feel happier today? Are you going to try any of the tips mentioned above?

Below, we have compiled a list of the most interesting questions about 12 minutes to a happier you:

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