Screens hamper happiness. This is backed by many studies and it confirms that frequent use of social media can decrease mood over time and that a high volume of emails is connected with overall feelings of unhappiness.

So if you reach for your phone in the morning or your tablet or your co...

1. Read first thing in the morning: Avoid social media and pick a good book.
2. Read without haste or hurry, maybe just a page a day.
3. Have a book with you always, and read while to commute or eat.
4. Read while you relax to nourish your brain.
5. Find a repository of...

When you reach for your phone (or tablet, or computer, or click on the TV) first thing in the morning, you’re really inviting the outside world to dictate your mood first thing, she said.

And there really is a lot of evidence supporting the idea that screens hamper happiness. Studies have l...