But wait... there's less!

For 28 days I took 5-10 mins each night to write down 5 things that day that I was grateful for. Why did I do this? This was my assignment for the Science of Well-being course that I did online. The science shows that money and stuff usually don't increase our happiness . Often when they do it's only by tiny amounts. On the other hand, 40% of our happiness comes from our thoughts and actions (see the 13 happiness hacks ). A gratitude journal is one of those actions. Assignments are great That's not normally a phrase students say. But when I know I need to write down 5 things at the end of the day, I operate differently. I look out for experiences to savour - one day I stopped at the corner to savour the sound of the birds singing. I look to connect with people socially - even for us introverts, social connection does increase happiness. I look for activities that use my signature strengths . Rear-view mirror Apart from seeking positive experiences, the recording

There is no doubt. We spend far too much time fiddling with our phones and staring at social media. Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport gives a plan to separate what's useful from what's a complete waste of time. This plan helps use digital tools to add value to our days, rather than suck the hours out of them. This review gives you an idea of what's in the book, and I recommend reading it for yourself. I find his writing witty in places and wise throughout. His stories - including those of people who have tried the plan - really add to the experience. The Battle He sets the tone of the book by describing this as a battle. The devices and apps are like poker machines and cigarettes, with the companies trying to increase our time spent using their product. Far removed from the reasons we signed up in the first place, these devices and apps "control more and more of how we spend our time, how we feel, and how we behave" . Digital Minimalism So what's o

One of the secrets to this lifestyle is determining whether things provide value for their cost. Weighing up the cost Cost is not just money. It's the hassle of buying it, the space to store it , the time to clean and maintain it and, for the eco-conscious, the impact of disposing of it later. Is it worth all that cost for the benefit it brings? What ads say The trick is that society (particularly advertising) will tell you the opposite. Provided you have the money - and often even if you don't - something that brings any value at all is something we are urged to buy. Sometimes it's even just the slim chance of a tiny amount of value. This current ad is a classic example. Telstra, an Australian telco, is known for its comprehensive area coverage, particularly in remote areas. The proposition seems to be that you should pay for this extra coverage incase: You are a footy fan, AND you're in a remote area on game night, AND the power goes out during the game,

I've recently been doing a happiness course through Yale University and am excited to find so many proven methods for increasing our happiness. Here's a brief summary of some of them. You can find out more and go deeper by doing the free online course . My previous article was about our brain often making mistakes in picking the things it thinks will make us happy. So the first part here is quick happiness hacks to get around that. The second part is about wanting the right parts of the things our brains think will make us happy. Then there's the course experiments I did - to 'rewire' our habits for greater happiness. 1. Quick happiness hacks Experiences make us happier that things Stuff doesn't make us as happy as we think. "A new car sticks around to disappoint you. But a trip to Europe is over. It evaporates. It has the good sense to go away, and you are left with nothing but a wonderful memory." Studies show that (compared to material pur