How to Have a Fun Life

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! 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.

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! Those who are able to laugh at themselves also tend to be more cheerful, optimistic, and resilient.

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. For example, if you love watching the sun come up, get up early so you can enjoy the sunrise for 10 minutes!

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. 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!

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. Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. If you've always wanted to play the drums, go take a class!

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! 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.

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! 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!

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. 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.

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! 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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! 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.

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! 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.

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. 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.