Updated on December 16, 2022 by Team ShineSheets
Found in Happiness • Life • Mental Health • Stress relief
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Are you wondering how to have fun because you can’t even remember the last time you actually felt entertained? Last time you enjoyed doing something?
Sometimes, you may think that life has become predictable and monotonous, and with the busy lifestyle of the 21st century, it is probably true.
These days, most people have a strict schedule they follow day in, and day out without paying attention to their own needs. Some people get so tired, bored, and overwhelmed with stress that a variety of unhealthy habits become the most fun things to do. That’s not healthy.
It is crucial to have a work-life balance to keep you thriving and avoid burnout. Do you know that old saying?..
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.
If you’ve been scrambling your brains trying to learn how to have fun… I’ve got you. Today, I have compiled some easy tips to liven up your days a little. Because hey – everyone deserves to have some fun! If you are excited, then read away.
HOW TO HAVE FUN – today, tomorrow, always!
But first… Can You MAKE Yourself Have Fun?
Absolutely! In fact, it’s quite easy to have fun, but there are some things that may be preventing you from having more fun, or maybe your life has become dull. In this article, you will find a bunch of ideas on how to deal with either scenario.
8 Ways To Have More Fun In Your Life
1. How To Have Fun By Changing Boring Routines
Life becomes boring way too quickly. If you’re swirling in the same routine every single day, it’s easy to fall into the trap of boredom, and let’s be honest – give it a few months and you begin to feel desperate for a change.
While it’s logical that life needs structure (we all have to work, after all), it doesn’t mean that we’re doomed to enjoy just a minimal amount of fun on the weekend. Instead, how about we implement more fun activities into our otherwise boring routine!
Here’s how to add some fun to your daily routine:
- Wake up at a different time and have breakfast in the open air.
- Change your usual breakfast menu. Even more – order in!
- Don’t shy away from wearing a bold color to your job (bold clothes and lipsticks can improve your mood).
- Take a different route while listening to music during your commute.
- Listen to a fun podcast or a TV show while you work or clean your home.
- When grocery shopping, buy a small thing to brighten up your evening (a healthy dessert, a face mask, a flower bouquet…).
- Once in a while, allow yourself to have something special for lunch or dinner – even if it’s full of calories!
- Get a pet! It’s much more fun to come back home when you know a loving dog or a quirky cat is waiting for you there.
- Play a board game with your loved ones in your free time.
- Plan some fun and romantic couple time with your partner every day.
These changes may not be huge, yes. Yet, consistently spending effort to make your own life more joyful will teach you how to have fun every single day. Plus, adding small, fun moments throughout the day will make your days more interesting and that’s a good thing.
2. How To Have Fun By Living In The Moment
Usually, we’re so caught up in planning our future that we forget to enjoy what’s going on in the present moment. To have more fun and laughter in life, try to fully feel and notice the things you’re doing at the present moment, without worrying about the next day. It might seem ridiculous, but people are actually having fun on a regular basis, without even noticing.
Instead of thinking about how fun your life could be if you had or did XYZ, bring your attention back to the present. When you really want to, and try to, you can always find pleasure in something as simple as eating a piece of cherry pie, cleaning up, enjoying the sun on a breezy summer afternoon, playing with your kids, enjoying motherhood while raising your hyperactive toddlers, or organizing the best joke competition with your friends. To learn how to have fun, you have to first learn to notice what IS fun. And it’s impossible if you’re consistently ignoring the small fun things you’re doing right now.
Why living in the present is so crucial? Because most of the negative thoughts we have are related either to the past or the future – neither of which exists now. Keep your focus in the present moment, and take it one day at a time, or even one minute at a time if needed. Again – little by little it will teach you how to have fun with whatever is happening around, right now.
3. How To Have Fun Spontaneously
If you keep waiting for the perfect time, it will be too late before you even realize it! To have more fun in your life, be brave, take the plunge and just do it, be it learning a new skill, changing your hairstyle, or going on a last-minute vacation to an amusement park.
Most of the fun in life is found in unplanned and spontaneous moments and unexpected little things. You don’t have to strategize or plan everything. Allow some things to have their own course, be daring to experiment, and soon you will find yourself having more fun at the end.
4. How To Have Fun By Regularly Trying New Things
Speaking of being open and spontaneous, trying out new things always brings excitement to life. I swear, doing something new regularly is one of the most important things I do to fight my winter depression, no matter what kind of fun activity I choose.
And just in case you’re immediately blocking these ideas because of money, don’t. To have fun doesn’t always mean spending a ton of money to go on an adventure – instead, you can try a lot of new things that are both fun and inexpensive. Here are some ideas!
How to try new things without spending (a lot of) money:
- Go on a hike with your friends or family and pick a new location every time.
- Watch a new movie on Netflix.
- Plan a scavenger hunt in a place you’ve never been to.
- Have a picnic if you have never done it!
- Rearrange the furniture in your room. Try out different settings.
- Try out new DIY face masks with ingredients from your kitchen.
- Buy or rent new games to play.
- Try a new shampoo every time you need a new bottle anyway.
- Try out new recipes.
- Go on a walk date with your spouse.
These are just a few ideas, but you might get the ideas – trying out new things is one of the best ways to continuously add more fun and excitement to your life!
5. How To Have Fun By Allowing Yourself To
This may sound weird, but some people have a tendency to neglect their psychological needs and forbid themselves to have real fun (sometimes unconsciously). I used to be one of those people thanks to my workaholic problems and social anxiety. In short, I always felt like I am not allowed to have fun until all the work is done. That, of course, is impossible – there’s always work to do.
If you have this tendency too, you may think that happiness lies in huge moments, or that it’s reserved only to those moments when all the work is done, all the goals are achieved or there are no problems in your life. But, in reality, the fun can be found in small things as well.
When you think that genuine fun just happens on huge occasions or planned activities, you’re denying yourself of the small pleasures of life.
6. How To Have Fun AND Lift Your Mood At The Same Time
Sometimes, life doesn’t feel fun not because it’s boring, but because you feel sad. When we feel down, or depressed, it’s hard to have fun no matter what we do.
I have been through this before and one thing worked for me better than the other things I’ve tried!
When your life feels boring and depressing at the same time, become a child of nature. That is, start exploring all the nature you can find around where you live. Plan a forest stroll, visit the ocean, visit the zoo, and the botany gardens, and just explore the natural beauty, the magnificence of your region. You might not feel interested in it right now, but once you try it a few times, you will notice that your mood improves and you can have fun + a lot of fabulous time during these outdoor trips.
If you can, bring others in on the experience with you. A great way to have fun in life is to create unforgettable memories with people around you. Arrange an outdoor gathering with your friends, go on a walk with your family and you will cherish these moments forever.
7. How To Have Fun At Home
If you’re stuck at home, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun there too. There are so many fun things to do at home that I bet you can find at least one idea that would be fun for you! Here are some of them:
- Treat yourself to a SPA evening.
- Start an indoor or outdoor garden.
- … Or a vegetable greenhouse!
- Try learning dances by watching Youtube tutorials.
- Take a photo session.
- Bake your favorite pie.
- Host a party.
- Play board games, video games, or any kind of outdoor game you enjoy with your friends. You can also have gaming nights with your friends for the ultimate experience.
- Play your favorite music and create a dance floor in your room!
- Facetime your friends on Facebook (or other social media).
- Shop online.
- Read entertaining books.
- Re-watch your favorite childhood series.
- Solve that jigsaw puzzle that’s been hiding in your closet.
- Browse fun Twitter threads.
- Adopt a pet.
- Host the “ugliest” cake contest.
- Invite a friend over for tea, coffee, or a fun cocktail hour.
- Try a fun workout with your family.
8. How To Have Fun If You Feel… Shy
For some people, it’s hard to have fun, because they can never relax. If that’s your case, you might feel like fully experiencing fun and joyful moments is weird, or that you’re afraid to look awkward. When these moments arise, try to remind yourself of these two things:
- People can judge no matter the situation, so worry less about what others would think and focus more on doing what you like and approve of. You have one life and you cannot live it to impress others! Step out of your comfort zone and enjoy your life to the fullest – it doesn’t matter what anyone else is thinking or saying. Related: How To Not Care What Other People Think Of You
- It’s absolutely normal to have fun. Who told you it’s bad to act like a kid? You’re not doing anything wrong. In fact, you’re doing yourself a favor because having fun is healthy for you!
“How Can I Be More Fun as a Person?”
Once you start implementing more fun in your life, you may find yourself longing to be more fun as a person as well. That’s normal! Everybody loves people who are fun and having a naturally fun personality can help you to live your life with the maximum amount of joy. Here are some ways to be more fun as a person:
- Work on improving your confidence, so you can feel more relaxed around others.
- Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself, your mistakes, or the things that have happened to you.
- Build your sense of humor by watching funny stand-up comedies, or even reading books about how to joke.
- Be spontaneous and open to adventures!
- Try to keep up a positive mindset, and focus on solutions when problems arise.
I hope you loved these tips on how to have more fun in life. Happiness, mindfulness, joy, and excitement can sometimes be just a moment away, in the simple things you have around… If you’re willing to look for it, it’s all yours to enjoy.
Scroll down below to find more life-improving tips and to rate this article along the way!
Team ShineSheets
Editor-in-chief and co-authors at ShineSheets.com
"We love to research, examine, analyze, and present to you the best ideas that make life better. You can learn about our editorial standards here."
FAQs
How do I make life a little more fun? ›
- Step out of your comfort zone. Comfort zones feel safe and secure. ...
- Travel to new places. ...
- Think about the future again and aspire. ...
- Stop waiting for life to happen. ...
- Don't psych yourself out. ...
- Set yourself some mini-goals. ...
- Don't live life waiting for the next event. ...
- Discover new things to love.
- Be open to having fun. Avoid falling into the trap that you don't have time to have fun. There is always time for everything in your life if you make it a priority. ...
- Be spontaneous. Having fun doesn't require great effort or a big plan. ...
- Be creative.
- Hard Fun: Frustration and Fiero, in the moment of personal triumph over adversity.
- Easy Fun: Curiosity, Awe.
- Serious Fun: Excitement and Relief (relaxation)
- People Fun: Amusement, Joy.
Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure. It's a common symptom of depression as well as other mental health disorders. Most people understand what pleasure feels like. They expect certain things in life to make them happy.
How do I make myself fun at home? ›- Pick up a paintbrush.
- Bake a batch of cookies.
- Cue the music.
- Write a letter to someone you love.
- Treat yourself to a DIY spa.
- Start a scrapbook.
- Let a celebrity read you a story.
- Rearrange your closet.
- Eat nourishing food. ...
- Sleep seven to eight hours per night. ...
- Keep company with good people. ...
- Avoid news overdose. ...
- Get regular exercise. ...
- Do something meaningful each day.
- Sensation.
- Fellowship.
- Challenge.
- Fantasy.
- Narrative.
- Discovery.
- Expression.
- Submission.
- Go to a museum, aquarium or zoo. Many aquariums, museums and zoos waive admission fees on certain days. ...
- Read a book. Dive into a new book or revisit an old favorite. ...
- Catch a movie. ...
- Play a game inside. ...
- Play a game outside. ...
- Volunteer. ...
- Visit the farmers market. ...
- Go thrift shopping.
But what is the exact age we shift from fun guy to dullard, would you like to know? Well, new research by Airbnb has found the age at which we reach 'peak boring' is 39 for men and 35 for women, with 37 on average being when we become really, really bloody boring.
How can I be happy with boring? ›- Don't curse the solitude – enjoy it. ...
- Train your mind to think positive. ...
- Re-calculate your happiness formula. ...
- Live with a purpose. ...
- Stop complaining, start appreciating.
Why life is so difficult to live? ›
Why is life so hard? Because we are human, full of emotions, desires, needs, and fears. We have bodies that are susceptible to disease and injury. We need food, shelter, and human connection to thrive.
What are the 3 types of fun? ›- Type I Fun. Type 1 fun is enjoyable while it's happening. Also known as, simply, fun. ...
- Type II Fun. Type 2 fun is miserable while it's happening, but fun in retrospect. It usually begins with the best intentions, and then things get carried away. ...
- Type III Fun. Type 3 fun is not fun at all.
- Go to a food truck park. ...
- Catch up on your favorite book. ...
- Do yoga. ...
- Go to the farmers market. ...
- See a movie or play. ...
- Do crafts. ...
- Go for a long walk. ...
- Watch the sunrise or sunset.
True Fun = Playfulness, Connection, and Flow
Playfulness is that spirit of lightheartedness and freedom, where you're not thinking so much about everyday responsibilities but instead fully engaged in whatever you're doing. “When people are being playful, they sparkle.”
- Experiment in the kitchen. ...
- Treat yourself to a nice dinner. ...
- Bake a cake. ...
- Have a drink at a bar. ...
- Have a solo picnic. ...
- Grab a coffee. ...
- Take a walk through a farmer's market. ...
- Make yourself a cocktail.
- 1/ Tickle! ...
- 2/ Read a story… ...
- 3/ Play Snap… ...
- 4/ Put on your favourite song and dance….or if you are out about in the car just sing loudly! ...
- 5/ Play hopscotch… ...
- 6/ Find a swing… ...
- 7/ Play hide and seek…. ...
- 8/ Play 'paper, scissors, stone'….
- Give your nails some love. No professional manicure necessary—you don't even need to paint them! ...
- Give yourself an at-home facial. ...
- Practice saying no. ...
- Unroll your yoga mat. ...
- Go on a walk. ...
- Watch one of these 90s movies. ...
- Play a game. ...
- Make a gratitude list.
- Develop a gratitude attitude. Human beings have a bias toward negativity. ...
- Find a reason to laugh. ...
- Take a nap (no, seriously) ...
- Exercise. ...
- Find out what makes you tick. ...
- Nurture positive relationships. ...
- Go out and meet people. ...
- Create a bucket list and set goals for yourself.
- Choose happiness. The most important thing to realize about happiness is that it is not an outcome of current circumstances. ...
- Focus on the good. ...
- Stop comparing. ...
- Practice gratitude and generosity. ...
- Don't pursue physical possessions. ...
- Be present in your relationships. ...
- Develop healthy habits. ...
- Look outside yourself.
- 1 — Gratitude. ...
- 2 — Be Present. ...
- 3 — Manage Time Effectively. ...
- 4 — Set SMARTER Goals. ...
- 5 — Embody an Empowering Morning Routine. ...
- 6 — Tackle the MITs. ...
- 7 — Focus on Health and Wellbeing.
What are 10 things that make you happy? ›
- Take 10 Deep Breaths. Our first step to make yourself happy might sound trivial at first, but bear with us. ...
- Smile More. ...
- Appreciate Yourself. ...
- Practice Meditating. ...
- Spend Time With Your Loved Ones. ...
- Go Outside. ...
- Put Down Your Phone. ...
- Exercise More.
Some example answers to, “What do you enjoy doing?” include:
Outdoors activities like rock climbing, hiking, cycling, etc. Reading, learning, documentaries, podcasts, etc. Crossword puzzles, chess, sudoku, or other puzzle games. Cooking.
Makes you feel good about life. Puts you in a spontaneous mood. Naturally gives you a feeling of freedom. Helps you feel outrageous. Gives you a feeling that you're going with the flow.
Why do you have fun in life? ›When we do pleasurable activities, it releases dopamine which leads to positivity and can counteract more uncomfortable feelings of hopelessness and stress. Finally, having fun allows us the opportunity to connect and create bonds with others.
How can I have fun in life without friends? ›- 1) Own your life. ...
- 2) Be a bit less social on social media. ...
- 3) Put down your phone. ...
- 4) Explore spirituality and religion. ...
- 5) Let your imagination run wild. ...
- 7) Make friends with the great outdoors. ...
- 8) Look at the upsides. ...
- 9) Try volunteering.
- Play an instrument. ...
- Write a short story. ...
- Do a deep dive on a subject that interests you. ...
- Fill out a crossword puzzle. ...
- Try Origami. ...
- Play a board game. ...
- Put together a puzzle. ...
- Watch a rom-com marathon.
Structure your answer
'In my free time I enjoy reading, when I'm reading, I completely relax and find myself in another world. Reading books helps me creatively when I'm writing. It helps me to think outside the box and use my imagination. I've set myself a goal of reading 100 books this year.
Example 1:
I always enjoyed reading novels which is my major hobby. I'm an enthusiastic reader, and I try to read at least one fiction novel every month. What I like about reading is that it can move me to another place while I'm still in my house. I've been attending book club meetings and book fairs as well.
- Type I Fun. Type 1 fun is enjoyable while it's happening. Also known as, simply, fun. ...
- Type II Fun. Type 2 fun is miserable while it's happening, but fun in retrospect. It usually begins with the best intentions, and then things get carried away. ...
- Type III Fun. Type 3 fun is not fun at all.
- Avoid comparing yourself to others. ...
- Take a step back from social media. ...
- Take a phone break. ...
- Carve out time to let your mind wander. ...
- Take yourself on a date. ...
- Get physical. ...
- Spend time with nature. ...
- Lean into the perks of being alone.
Why am I happy having no friends? ›
Being alone grants you the freedom to stay fully present with your true self and experience things as you truly see them. Having fewer friends, in turn, may sometimes allow you to be more in tune with yourself.
Why do I enjoy having no friends? ›There are many reasons why you might feel like you don't need friends. Preferring solitude, being close to members of your family, and being busy with other things are just a few factors that may play a role. Fear of being disappointed or hurt by friends can also be a contributing factor.