Single-tasking is the ultimate form of relaxation. If you want to feel genuinely relaxed and calm, give your mind a break and do just one thing, like listening to good music.

Take a mindful music break

Our work environment is full of cues for stress: a reminder about that uncomfortable email you have to send to your direct report, walking by your boss’s office, or even just hearing your phone ring for the twelfth time in an hour. All these little cues add up and can take a toll on your mood.You can give yourself a major break from all these negative cues and allow your mood to rise by taking your lunch to go and going for a walk for 15 or 30 minutes. Not only does it get you moving, but you get exposed to all sorts of new, non-work-related environmental cues which can positively impact your <warningtag>mood.</warningtag>

Do a walking lunch

Worry is often your mind’s way of making sure you don’t forget important things. If you want to stop worrying, prove to your mind that you can be trusted to manage your own to-dos.Tomorrow’s top 3 is a little habit for staying focused on and taking care of the most important things—and as a result, drastically cutting down on the amount of worry-as-memory-aid your mind needs to perform:<ul><li>At the end of your workday, set aside 5 minutes after you’ve finished up work but before you leave.</li><li>Take out an index card or sticky note and put it front and center on your desk, workspace, or wherever you beg<warningtag>in your workday.</warningtag></li><li><warningtag>Write down the three most important things you’d like to get done the following day.</warningtag></li></ul>

Jot down tomorrow’s top 3

We are social to our core. You can leverage this fact of biology to improve your mood by taking a little time to make a small positive connection with another human being throughout your day.So, the next time you’re in line at Starbucks waiting for your coffee, put down your phone and look up:<ul><li>Ask the guy in front of you what he thinks of the new furniture layout.</li><li>Smile compassionately at the new mom trying to wrangle three young kids out the door and into the minivan.</li><li>Ask your barista how her day is going with genuine interest.</li></ul>

Ask your barista how their day is going

Exercising first thing in the morning improves your mood by boosting self-esteem and confidence. And even a small amount of exercise can give you a healthy mood boost.Try to commit to one of the following tiny morning exercises every day for a couple of weeks:<ul><li>Do as many pushups as you can in 3 minutes.</li><li>Go for a brisk 10-minute walk around your neighborhood.</li><li>Alternate pushups and sit-ups for 2 minutes.</li><li>Do a couple of sets of lunges.</li><li>Try a wall sit.</li></ul>

Get a (very) quick morning workout in

If you want to be overwhelmed with tragedy, anger, and despair over the state of the world, by all means, keep watching the news in the evening. Or you could read something uplifting instead.

Cut the news and read a story

An evening review means you take a few minutes to pause and reflect on your day. This can take whatever form you like—journaling, meditation, prayer, etc.Reviewing your day gives your perspective on your day. And when we have perspective on our days, we have perspective on our lives.

Do an evening review

One of the best ways to avoid having work stress spill over into your evenings at home is to create more of a transition between work and home.In order to transition into a more restful evening mode, it can be helpful to have a period of time in between when you give your mind a break.Commutes to and from work are natural transitions, but more often than not we keep our minds revved up by listening to radio or podcasts or on phone calls. But, if you commit to silence on your way home from work, you can give your mind a much needed period of rest and respite from the constant barrage of mental<warningtag> stimuli it gets all day.</warningtag>

Do a quiet commute

We tend to feel better when we get outside our own heads and do something for others. But being kind and generous to other people doesn’t have to be a monumental act of charity and self-sacrifice. It can be quite small and still meaningful.Try this:<ul><li>Make a list of 5-10 people whom you love and care about.</li><li>Set a recurring daily reminder on your phone for any time you like.</li><li>When the reminder goes off each day, take 30 seconds and text the first person on your list. Could be anything from a heartfelt message of love or admiration to a silly gif.</li><li>Work your way down the list, texting a new person on th<warningtag>e list each day.</warningtag></li></ul>

Text someone you love for no reason

Snoozing is breaking a promise with yourself. When you set that alarm for 6:00 AM, you were committing to getting up then. By snoozing, you broke the commitment, which means your self-esteem is going to take a hit. Not a great way to start your day off.On the other hand, when you actually get out of bed when your alarm goes off, you’re giving yourself a hit of mood-boosting self-efficacy—you’re proving to yourself that you’re the kind of person who does what they say they will. And that feels good!

Stop snoozing

Small things  you can do every day to quickly put yourself in a mood. 

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Mood Boosters: Put Yourself in a Happy Mood 

Simple tips that you can do any time to help reduce stress and put yourself in a happy mood.

If you want to quickly put yourself in a good mood, these 10 simple tips you can do any time will help reduce stress and lift your mood.

Ask your barista how their day is going

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