Everyone wants to enjoy life more, and oftentimes the key to enjoyment is fun. Having a fun life is about more than doing fun things and having adventures. You don’t always have time for big moments of fun, so work on embracing the little things. Try to cultivate a mindset that embraces play, pleasure, and laughter in your everyday activities. We’ve put together this list of tips for living a more fun-filled life. Take a look and see which ones you can incorporate into your life!
How to Have a More Fun Life
- Watch funny movies or videos to make yourself laugh.
- Take a second to notice the little things in life.
- Do something spontaneous that you've never tried before.
- Socialize with your friends and coworkers.
- Plan time to get involved in your hobbies.
- Try activities that you loved doing when you were young.
Steps
Embracing Joy
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Seek out laughter in your life. Laughing usually means you’re having fun. Watch funny movies, TV shows, or stand-up comedy to get a healthy dose of laughter in your life. Check out funny videos or memes that your friends post on social media. Tell jokes when you’re hanging out with friends or family. You’re sure to feel less stressed and happier if you’re laughing and having fun more! [1] X Research source
- Share funny content with others to spread the laughter. Send a friend a funny YouTube video or share a funny article on your Facebook page.
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Learn to laugh at yourself. Sometimes life doesn't go as planned or funny, unwanted things happen. Look for humor in the randomness and irony of life. Allow yourself to laugh, pick yourself up, and move on to keep enjoying this crazy thing called life! [2] X Research source
- Those who are able to laugh at themselves also tend to be more cheerful, optimistic, and resilient.
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Enjoy little moments in your everyday life. Fun doesn’t just come from big, spectacular moments and events. Allow yourself to have small moments of fun in 5- to 10-minute increments throughout the day. Reward yourself with a 5-minute break and enjoy a piece of chocolate after returning an email. Or, watch a funny, 5-minute video after a stressful work meeting. Make time for tiny breaks to indulge in small pleasures. [3] X Research source
- For example, if you love watching the sun come up, get up early so you can enjoy the sunrise for 10 minutes! [4]
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Expert Source
Rachel Clissold
Certified Life Coach Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.
- For example, if you love watching the sun come up, get up early so you can enjoy the sunrise for 10 minutes! [4]
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Expert Source
Rachel Clissold
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Look for ways to make work fun . You likely spend a lot of time at work, so try to enjoy it a bit. Bond with your coworkers by creating small routines that bring fun to the office. Joke with coworkers when it’s appropriate to bring some laughter into your day. Join an office team or club to make work more social. Anything that helps you look forward to going to work more is a great way to make your life more fun! [5] X Research source
- For example, you could bring in cookies into work every Wednesday.
- If there are no clubs or teams at your workplace, you could start a casual book club with a few coworkers and discuss the books you read at lunch or after work.
- Decorate your workspace with things that make you happy. For example, put up family photos or pictures from a recent vacation in your cubicle.
- If you’re feeling bored at work, take a break and go for a walk. Getting outside can really brighten up your day.
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Find ways to have fun without spending money. Money is a major reason many people struggle to have fun. Check newspaper listings or local websites and online communities for free or low-cost activities in your area. Or, just enjoy time with friends or family without spending a bunch of money on “doing” something. Money doesn’t have to govern how much fun you have! [6] X Research source
- For example, you don't have to spend a fortune having a group of friends over or getting a cup of coffee with your favorite co-worker.
- There might be plenty of cheap ways to have fun around your hometown. Maybe the local theater troupe puts on free shows in the park or maybe a local museum allows visitors in for free on certain days.
Being More Adventurous
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Be spontaneous in the moment. Not all fun activities have to be planned and scheduled. Work on being more open to new, unplanned experiences to bring unexpected fun into your life. Accept invitations to spur-of-the-moment getaways, last-minute family gatherings, or parties. [7] X Research source
- For example, if a coworker asks you to go salsa dancing, go. Or, if your cousin wants you to go mountain climbing with her, go!
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Make an effort to seek out and try new things. This exposes you to fun activities that you’ve never tried before. Look for any chance to try something new, no matter how small. For instance, instead of following the same exact route to work every day, try going a different way, even if it takes a few minutes longer. [8] X Expert Source Rachel Clissold
Certified Life Coach Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.- Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. If you've always wanted to play the drums, go take a class! [9]
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Expert Source
Rachel Clissold
Certified Life Coach Expert Interview. 26 August 2020. - Reader Poll: We asked 214 wikiHow readers how they prefer to get out of their comfort zone, and 53% of them said doing something they’ve never done every single day. [Take Poll]
- Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. If you've always wanted to play the drums, go take a class! [9]
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Expert Source
Rachel Clissold
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Switch up your routine. A small change in your routine can expose you to new opportunities for fun. Take a different route to work or school and enjoy the new scenery. Try shopping for groceries somewhere new or eating lunch at a new restaurant. Rearrange your room to change things up. There are all kinds of ways you can make your day-to-day life different to freshen it up and have more fun! [10] X Research source
- For example, maybe you walk down a street you’ve never been on before and you see a bar advertising that there’s live music there every Wednesday. All of a sudden, there’s a whole new fun activity you can try out in your life!
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Take vacations whenever you can. Vacations give you a break from your routine and a chance to relax. You don’t have to spend a fortune to make a vacation fun, either. Use your allotted vacation time from work to schedule a big trip once a year, or take a few long weekends to get out of town more close to home. Go somewhere you really want to visit or dedicate a vacation to specific activity you love, such as golf. [11] X Research source
- At the beginning of each year, start putting away money for a vacation. This way, you don't have to stress about costs later on, as the money will already be there.
- Don’t just travel to popular places. Coastal cities, like New York, tend to cost more. Try looking for adventure in unconventional places that cater to your interests. For example, maybe you love mountains. Take a trip to a small, rural town in Colorado.
- Look for fun package deals, such as cruises. A cruise can offer a fun, relaxing vacation where you get to see a lot and also unwind at an on-board pool or spa.
Embracing Mindfulness and Positivity
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Practice mindfulness throughout your day. Mindfulness teaches you to be in and appreciate the present moment. To practice mindfulness, spend 2 minutes in the morning just noticing your breathing. Let go of thoughts about your coming day when they pop into your head. Do this at different points in your day to ground yourself in the present moment. [12] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source
- Focus on the sensations around you — the sights, smells, tastes, and feelings of all the things you experience throughout your day.
- Apply mindfulness when walking, driving, or taking the train. Put away electronic devices and pay attention to the moment. Observe the scene. Take in the smells and sounds. Appreciate how your body feels, and pay attention to your movements.
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Change your mindset to think more positively. Optimistic people have more fun than pessimistic thinkers. Try to look at the positive things you have in your life instead of worrying or stressing about the things you don’t have. In other words, change your way of thinking from the “glass is half empty” to the “glass is half full” approach and stop letting negativity suck the fun out of your life! [13] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- For example, if you’re feeling bored with your job and dread going into work every day, try to think about all the positive things it provides in your life, such as money to go out to your favorite restaurant every week or a group of friends you met at work.
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Block out time for play every week. This helps you unwind, learn new skills, relax, and enjoy life. Choose an activity that you think of as pure fun. Make time for this activity in your schedule, whether it’s at lunch, after work, or on the weekends. Bring others along with you to share your fun activities, or ask to join them on theirs. [14] X Research source
- For example, if you’re a gamer, set aside 1 hour every evening to play video games online.
- Or, if you’re an outdoorsy type, schedule a weekly hike with a group of friends on Saturday or Sunday to get out and enjoy nature.
EXPERT TIPBoard Game ExpertsOur Family Plays Games, LLC is a family-owned business based in Omaha, Nebraska. Launched in 2018, their mission is to promote growth and awareness of the modern board game hobby and bring more BIPOCs and families into the board game community. In June 2020 they were featured on Good Morning America and have since been featured on NBC News Online, Senet Magazine (UK), Ligadas.com (Brazil), a variety of YouTube programs, podcasts, and on local television. In January of 2022, they launched a second program on their channel, called OFPG Voices to highlight other underrepresented voices in the hobby. In addition, they make special appearances at board game conventions all around the country and work with board game publishers from around the world.Board games are a positive way to connect with others. Board games are a healthy activity that sharpens your mind and builds positive social skills. Play games for a healthy dose of fun, free from negative vibes or unhealthy competition. With countless options to explore, there's a perfect game out there for everyone.
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Revisit things that made you happy as a child. You can still have fun doing things you enjoyed when you were young. Think back to things you had fun doing in your childhood and try them again now that you’re older. Certain activities may bring back all those feelings of fun and freedom that you experienced back then. [15] X Research source
- For instance, if you really liked playing in the waves at the beach when you were a kid, schedule a beach day and dive into the ocean!
- Or, take up some kind of physical activity you haven’t done in a long time, such as riding a bike or playing dodgeball.
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Dance for the sake of it. Dancing boosts your mood and relieves stress and anxiety. Put on your favorite playlist, song, or album. Move your body to the beat in whichever way feels best for you. Do it in your living room when no one’s watching or in the middle of a party — there are no rules when it comes to dancing! [16] X Research source
- Play music while you're doing things like cooking and cleaning. This may encourage you to move and dance a little as you do chores, making them feel more like fun than work.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow can I make my life more fun?Rachel Clissold is a Life Coach and Consultant in Sydney, Australia. With over six years of coaching experience and over 17 years of corporate training, Rachel specializes in helping business leaders move through internal roadblocks, gain more freedom and clarity, and optimize their company’s efficiency and productivity. Rachel uses a wide range of techniques including coaching, intuitive guidance, neuro-linguistic programming, and holistic biohacking to help clients overcome fear, break through limitations, and bring their epic visions to life. Rachel is an acclaimed Reiki Master Practitioner, Qualified practitioner in NLP, EFT, Hypnosis & Past Life Regression. She has created events with up to 500 people around Australia, United Kingdom, Bali, and Costa Rica.Simple tweaks can create a big shift! Get out of your normal routine and try something different, like getting up to watch the sunrise, taking the scenic route to work, or trying a new cafe.
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References
- ↑ https://www.besthealthmag.ca/article/5-ways-to-have-more-fun-in-your-everyday-life/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ambigamy/201405/mastering-the-therapeutic-art-laughing-yourself
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201403/8-ways-make-your-life-more-fun
- ↑ Rachel Clissold. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.
- ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/easy-ways-to-have-more-fun-at-work-2014-10
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201403/8-ways-make-your-life-more-fun
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/how-to-instantly-sprinkle-your-life-with-more-fun.html
- ↑ Rachel Clissold. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.
- ↑ Rachel Clissold. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.
- ↑ https://www.besthealthmag.ca/article/5-ways-to-have-more-fun-in-your-everyday-life/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201006/the-importance-vacations-our-physical-and-mental-health
- ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_practice_mindfulness_throughout_your_work_day
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/4-ways-to-put-fun-back-in-your-life-no-matter-how-busy-you-are.html
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/4-ways-to-put-fun-back-in-your-life-no-matter-how-busy-you-are.html
- ↑ http://greatist.com/grow/have-fun
About This Article
To make your life fun and enjoyable, look for opportunities to try new things whenever you can. Even if you don’t have the time or money for elaborate vacations and adventures, you can spice up your life by taking a class, trying a new activity, or exploring attractions near you. To get the most out of these new experiences, get your friends and loved ones involved, too! You can also find fun in everyday activities, like watching movies, hanging out with friends, or even being productive. Keep reading for more tips from our co-author, like finding time for play and cultivating an upbeat attitude.
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