10 Free Simple Ways To Have More Fun Every Day

I think you’ll agree with me when I say that finding time for fun can be tough when life is busy. While there doesn’t seem to be as much free time there used to be *cough* lockdown *cough* there are still ways to inject some fun into daily life and boost your mental health.

Here are 10 free simple ideas to inspire you to inject a bit more fun into your week.

1. Dance like no-one’s watching

Dancing has been proven to boost endorphins, improve your mood, increase self-esteem and keep your mind sharp. I’m personally partial to a 5 minute dance break whilst working from home – it feels like a massive release!

So go on, find a couple of minutes today to stick on your favourite song and dance a loon. Your mental health will thank you.

2. Make snacking a game

Maltesers can be a great source of fun. Ideas include throwing it up into your open mouth, hovering the malteser above your mouth, an ‘egg and spoon’ race and nibbling all the chocolate off the outside without ruining the crunchy middle.

Although Maltesers are the recognised snack of choice for these activities I’m curious to find out if and how this works with other snacks – let me know!

3. Do some colouring in

Did you know that colouring in can relax your brain, improve your sleep, improve your focus and reduce stress?

Colouring in isn’t just for kids! There’s plenty of adult colouring books and templates online – including this one from Art For Fun that I found.

4. Get crafty

Whether it’s doing some art, sewing, macramé, or something else, crafting can boost your mood, improve self-confidence, and reduce your stress levels.

You can often do this activity with things you have at home, and there are plenty of YouTube tutorials to help you learn a new skill. I recently learnt to make an origami butterfly – check out my attempt here.

5. Play wordle

If you haven't tried this daily puzzle from the New York Times you should definitely give it a go. You have 6 guesses to find a 5 letter word. In my recent attempt I got it in 4.

This brainteaser is not only fun but research suggests that it's good for you - boosting both your brain power and your mood. Play here.

6. Read a novel

For me there is nothing better than getting into a good book. I’m not alone, more than 75% of UK readers said that reading improves their lives and makes them feel good.

I’m currently reading The Glass House by Eve Chase. A very enjoyable, relatively easy read – good escapism!

7. Bake a microwave cake

This is possibly the quickest and easiest baking there is. All you need is a mug, a microwave and a few store cupboard ingredients. There are loads of recipes online but I tried this one.

P.S. watch out for the mixture exploding as cleaning out your microwave afterwards is less fun!

8. Play buzzword bingo

If like me you spend a lot of your day than you would like in meetings, then try making them a bit more fun with ‘buzzword bingo’! Every time someone says one of the words, cross it off the list.

There are lots of bingo cards online but my favourite is this site: https://www.buzzwordbingogame.com/cards/buzzword/

Bonus tip: you can use this with your team to add some competitive spirit/team building.

9. Photograph everyday things

I recently decided to do an impromptu nature photo shoot on my dog walk.

I would never normally notice the detail of the flowers. But sometimes slowing down and looking at things from a different angle can give you a whole new perspective.

I honestly recommend this as an easy fun escape from your day!

10. Practice yoga

Gentle movement like yoga can help to boost your mood. During yoga, your brain releases all sorts of chemicals that help you relax and lower your stress levels including dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. Plus many of the poses are fun to try!

Need some inspiration or guidance for your yoga practice? Try a short fun yoga class today on my YouTube channel.

Conclusion

Fun tends not to be a priority in our busy lives with never-ending to do lists. But it’s super important for our mental health. Having regular fun in your life can help you feel more relaxed and less overwhelmed by daily stressors.

Having fun doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or require another person. That’s why you can do the activities above in 5 minutes or less with things you have around your house.

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