“Happiness consists more in conveniences of pleasure that occur every day than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom,” said Benjamin Franklin. 

As the days pass by, many people become so wrapped up in their daily routines. They forget to take time for themselves and notice the little joys that life has to offer. After living the same daunting day over and over, many people tend to notice themselves in a “funk” or “down in the dumps.”  Being productive is a great thing but putting in too much effort working and never devoting time to yourself can be harmful to mental health and can lead to burn out. Everyone has certain acts that help to improve the quality of life for them. In general here are five ways to live a happier life according to Deen Patel entrepreneur and founder wellness brand Penguin CBD.

1. Create a work-life balance. 

Work (or school) can consume people’s lives. “It is important to pursue activities and interests beyond our job”, said Deen Patel. People should find at least one or two things they truly enjoy doing and devote a little bit of time to it each day. It is also important to include time for exercise and spending time with loved ones. 

1. Practice mindfulness 

There are many ways to implement mindfulness into our daily lives. For some people, meditation works well. It does not even have to be long. Simply taking a few deep breaths or following a guided meditation helps to clear the mind and make one more present. If meditation does not work well, there’s plenty of other options. Try setting an intention each morning and take steps throughout the day to help follow it. 

1. Accept imperfections 

“Perfection is impossible, and holding ourselves and others to these standards is futile,” said Deen Patel. Oftentime, people set goals or do tasks with the desired outcome of perfectionism. This is simply unattainable for human beings. It is important to realize life will not always go as planned. Instead of giving up after making a mistake, a healthier option would be to reflect and move on. 

1. Live in the moment 

If one really stops to think about it, humans are almost always stressing about what is coming next. Waiting for class to be over, waiting for the weekend, the next holiday, the next season or whatever it may be, the mind seems to constantly think about the future. It is only when someone looks back that they realize how good something was. “Endeavor to live in the moment, and you’ll begin to have a deeper appreciation for your life,” said Deen Patel. 

1. Do what you love

Simple but true, if someone is doing stuff that does not bring them joy each day, then they are sure to feel down. Certain aspects may be harder to change such as a job, but people are always able to search for hobbies they truly love. If someone is doing things that make them happy, they will be able to reflect that happiness onto those around them as well as into their work. 

 In the end, everyone is just trying to get through each day. Finding those little moments of joy and partaking in hobbies that bring happiness allows people to live their lives to the fullest.