When life gets busy or stressful, enjoyable activities are often the first things we drop. We tell ourselves we’ll get back to them when there’s more time, more energy, or less to worry about.
The problem is that removing everything enjoyable can leave us with even less energy to cope. Positive experiences don’t erase stress, but they give your mind and body small opportunities to recover from it. Over time, regularly making space for enjoyment can support a better mood and help build emotional resilience.
And you don’t have to wait until you feel motivated. Sometimes motivation shows up after you begin—not before.
Try It Now
List three things you enjoy but haven’t done recently.
Think small and realistic. You might listen to music, sit outside with coffee, call someone you like, bake something, work on a hobby, visit a favorite place, or watch something that makes you laugh.Choose one activity.
Pick the option that feels most doable right now—not necessarily the most exciting or ambitious one.Put it on your calendar.
Choose a specific day and time. “Take a walk sometime this week” is easy to postpone. “Walk for 15 minutes after lunch on Tuesday” is much more likely to happen.Make it easy to follow through.
Think about what you’ll need and prepare ahead of time. Put your shoes by the door, text the friend, gather the supplies, or block the time on your calendar.Notice how you feel afterward.
You don’t need to feel amazing for the activity to count. Ask yourself: Did I feel even slightly lighter, calmer, more energized, or more connected while I was doing it?
If a full activity feels like too much, make it smaller. Listen to one song instead of an entire album. Sit outside for five minutes instead of taking a long walk. Read two pages instead of a whole chapter.
Enjoyment isn’t something you have to earn after everything else is finished. It’s part of what helps you keep going.
