Create a Happiness Routine on Your Online Calendar

Everyone deserves to be happy. Unfortunately, it’s not always as easy as flipping a switch. It’s essential to guard your mind and your thoughts if you want to be happier. You can help yourself by creating a happiness routine on your online Calendar.

No doubt, life can be challenging. But you can’t let sadness or worry consume you. You have to be intentional with your thoughts and your actions. How can you schedule out not just moments of happiness — but a lifetime of joy?

Putting Happiness on the Calendar

You can get the most out of life with the help of an online calendar. Whatever your situation, these nine tips can help you live more fully:

1. Start a Gratitude Journal

Some days, you may struggle to feel grateful. While hardships happen, you can always find a silver lining around at least one of the clouds. When you do, record it in a gratitude journal.

Your online calendar can act as a reminder to write in this journal each night, or you can use the Notes section in the app itself as a journal. Looking for the good each day will help you adopt a more positive mindset. Finding things to be thankful for gets easier with practice.

One thing that has helped me is to add a couple of happy moments to my online Calendar. I record cute things my baby does, and this brings me joy.

2. Get Some Sun

Studies have shown the many benefits of natural sunlight to your health and happiness. While sleeping in is a luxury, reducing the hours of sun you get can put a damper on your mood. Excessive time indoors without natural light can have a similar effect.

Why not start your day earlier? Your online calendar can help you tweak your morning routine to maximize the amount of time you can spend in the sun. You can also plan activities that get you outside during the day. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen!

3. Get Enough Sleep

On the opposite end of the spectrum from sleeping too late is not getting enough sleep. When you’re tired day after day, it’s much harder to stay positive when things don’t go your way. Getting the proper amount of sleep keeps you sharp and focused, so you don’t get overwhelmed.

With your online calendar, you can put together a sleep routine to ensure you get the rest you need each night. It will take some adjusting at first, but the long-term benefits are worth it.

4. Make Time for What You Enjoy

Enduring a 9-to-5 shift and binge-watching TV shows until bedtime isn’t the most fulfilling way to live. While you may enjoy your job and the shows you watch, making time for other interests is essential.

Try time-blocking: Carve out a dedicated hour each day to develop your hobbies and interests. Perhaps a reading or craft hour after work makes sense with your schedule. If yoga or writing is more your speed, perhaps an hour in the morning is the right choice.

5. Be Deliberate With Downtime

If your daily schedule is packed from end to end, you’ll feel like your life doesn’t have any breathing room. You deserve a break every once in a while to slow down and reset. Even taking 10 minutes each day to settle down can make a big difference.

Making time for breaks is hard when your schedule is demanding. Take a look at your online calendar for next week: Can you take a long lunch? What about a morning meditation session? Challenge yourself to take at least one long break during the week.

6. Eat Right

What you put into your body makes a huge difference. A healthy, well-balanced diet not only makes you more productive but also improves your mood. Make sure you’re getting adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables, and drink plenty of water!

Online calendars are great tools for meal planning. Being proactive about what you eat each day ensures you’re getting the right nutrients and not resorting to the most comfortable option. Your calendar can also remind you to stay hydrated: Try placing a reminder every hour to take a drink of water.

7. Move Your Muscles

Exercise is another excellent way to keep your spirits high. While many people are turned off by the exertion and sweat, regular exercise helps your mind as much as your body. It releases chemicals in your brain that help you stay more alert and cheerful, leading to less stress.

Making time for exercise has never been easier than with your online calendar. Easy scheduling tools make it possible to get moving no matter what your schedule looks like. Even a few minutes a day is helpful, and you can always look at low-impact options like yoga.

8. Serve Others

Looking beyond your own needs is a surprisingly effective way to find your own happiness. There’s something about the human spirit that lights up when you can provide service and assistance to others. When all else fails, look to serve. Astonishing to me is how much the GenZ incorporates the “serve others” moto.

Service opportunities are everywhere. Ask community organizers in your area about fundraisers, passion projects, and other unfunded initiatives. Because volunteering can quickly become a full-time commitment, use your calendar to set clear boundaries.

9. Remember to Smile

It may sound silly at first, but the more you smile, the happier you’ll be. Online calendars are the perfect tool for setting reminders to simply smile throughout the day.

Don’t stop with a smile: Use the notes section to remind yourself to pick your head up, sit up straight, and take a deep breath. Good posture can instill a positive attitude over time.

Happiness is addictive. The more of these tips you practice, the better you’ll feel. The better you feel, the better you’ll treat yourself. Use your online calendar to get the cycle started, and you’ll be in a better place before you know it.