1. Make time to smile.
From laughing on the phone with an old friend to listening to Beyoncé to playing with your dog, don’t let joyful moments get elbowed out of your schedule, says Tochi Iroku-Malize, M.D., M.P.H., board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Embracing joy can help you build resilience and avoid burnout.
2. Help your mood soar.
Go for an a.m. walk to take in the chirping of the birds—research says that listening to their songs can improve your mood for up to eight hours.
3. Just breathe.
You may have heard about the calming benefits of mindful breathing, but it can be tough to remember the technique. Luckily, that doesn’t matter, says Michelle Di Paolo, Ph.D., of Stress and Relaxation Services of America. “Many people worry about the ‘right way’ to breathe deliberately, but when you overthink it you’re missing the benefits,” she says. “Any intentional, gently slowed.”
