How would you react if I told you to go and have more fun right now?

You might say: ?I have more important things to do.? Or you may say, ?Maybe later. Now I need to work.? You might even say that you don’t know what it means to have fun more or that having fun is not your focus at the moment.

When life gets busy and demanding, people seek balance. They often try to incorporate Stress Reduction Techniques into their busy schedule. As a person who meditates and gives Reiki to herself every morning, I will be the last person to say that getting centered is not important!

In my Reiki classes, I teach people how to balance DOING with BEING. The more experience I have working with people and helping them manage stress better, the more I realize that the one simple thing that could really bring balance to their lives is very basic: permission to have fun!

Most of us experience very little fun or adventure in our lives. We save it for vacations or special holidays. But fun is a necessary part of a whole life and has a positive, powerful impact on your health and well-being.
~ Cheryl Richardson ? Take Time for Your Life

Even if you feel you have too much stress in your life to even consider adding fun to your day-to-day life, if you plan to have more fun next time you are away on vacation because only if you are away for week, can you relax enough to have fun, the reality is that almost everything you do, even responsibilities and obligations can become more enjoyable if you change your attitude and your state of mind.

I once heard a speaker talk about the Law of Attraction. He suggested that we ask ourselves one simple question every day and every moment of our lives:

How much fun can I have right this moment?

I loved the idea of repeatedly asking this question, and I started doing it. I wrote it down on sticky notes and posted it in different places. I scheduled reminders in my phone asking me this question. I wrote it on my bathroom mirror. Just asking the question made me take life less seriously and lighten up about everything. I still need reminders because my tendency is to get really serious about life. This question is perfect, and it reminds me to not wait until my next vacation and to simply have fun right now.

Don’t plan to have more fun once you are achieved and successful. Have fun now and you will attract success and abundance to your life.

I’m doing exactly what I want to do, and I’m having fun doing it.
~ David Johansen

Adding more fun to your life starts with the little things. You can continue doing exactly the same things you do every day but simply experience more joy when you do them. Do you have a long commute to work? Make a playlist of inspirational videos on YouTube and listen on your way. It is time to clean the house? Play some upbeat music and dance as you clean. Tired from cooking meals for your family? Look online for new, easy recipes and ask a family member to wash the dishes when you’re done. Having a stressful day? Step outside, look at the sky, the trees, the birds, and take a ?fun pause.?

I know I’m lucky because I get paid to do what I love, but even if your work is boring and you do it just so you can pay the bills, set an intention to bring more joy to what you do.

Being creative is not only about engaging in art activities. You can express your creativity by adding fun to life in simply different ways.

If you want to have the time of your life, change how you use the time in your life.
~ Tim Fargo

If time is an obstacle that gets in the way of you enjoying life more, schedule it into your calendar. I remember times when I was totally overwhelmed with life and anything I would add to my schedule made me feel even more overwhelmed. I was aware that life should feel different, but I didn’t know how to start enjoying it more. I started small, by taking a simple first step: I scheduled FUN into my calendar. I was too stressed to create a ?fun-attitude,? so I started by scheduling fun activities into my calendar. I had to consciously plan things I could do that I enjoy. Whether it was meeting a girlfriend for tea (I don’t drink coffee), watching a play, or spending 10 minutes drawing with colored pencils, it had to be in my calendar or it wouldn’t happen. The more I focused on fun and noticed the effect it had on my stress level and productivity, the easier it became to blend fun into my life.

Doing something fun for only 10 or 15 minutes shifts your energy and makes you feel less overwhelmed. It improves your productivity and ability to focus.

What do you like to do for fun, and how can you incorporate these activities into your daily life? Take a moment and think about it. Write down one thing you enjoy doing and schedule it into your day. Each moment has an opportunity for joy. Find it, do it, and experience some fun!