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" It&amp;#039;s striking how important energy is to happiness. Unfortunately, when you&amp;#039;re feeling blue, it can be hard to muster up the physical and mental energy needed to do the things that will make you happier. Planning a brunch party, weeding the garden, or pulling out a craft project seems like a lot of trouble, while plunking down in front of the TV or digging into a tub of ice cream entices you as an easy fix. But research shows (and you know it&amp;#039;s true) that these aren&amp;#039;t the routes to lifting your spirits. Instead, I&amp;#039;ve found it helpful to look for patterns in the times of day when I begin to drag: Am I having trouble getting out of bed in the morning? Passing out at my desk in the mid-afternoon? Dragging around the apartment after dinner instead of having fun with my family? Sometimes, oddly, I&amp;#039;m too tired to go to bed: I can&amp;#039;t face the effort of brushing my teeth, washing my face, and all the rest. Once I identified the energy dips in my daily routine, I was able to identify strategies to keep my energy higher \u2014 and I&amp;#039;ve been astonished by how quickly and easily I&amp;#039;m able to give myself a boost. For long-term energy, it&amp;#039;s most important to a) get enough sleep and b) get some exercise. But that doesn&amp;#039;t help you if you need some energy right now. When I&amp;#039;m desperate for an immediate happiness boost, these are the tips that really work for me: 1. GO OUTSIDE INTO THE SUNLIGHT Light deprivation is one reason that people feel tired. Research suggests that light stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood. For an extra boost, get your sunlight first thing in the morning. And while you&amp;#039;re outside... 2. GO FOR A BRISK WALK One study found that even a 10-minute walk is enough to increase energy and decrease tension. 3. ACT WITH ENERGY We think we act because of the way we feel, but often we feel because of the way we act. Trick yourself into feeling energetic by moving more quickly, pacing while you talk on the phone, and putting more energy into your voice. 4. LISTEN TO YOUR FAVORITE UPBEAT SONG Hearing stimulating music gives an instant lift and is one of the quickest, most reliable ways to affect your mood and energy level. I&amp;#039;m always surprised by the effectiveness of this strategy. 5. TALK TO AN ENERGETIC FRIEND Not only do you gain energy from interacting with other people, but you also \u2014 in what&amp;#039;s called emotional contagion \u2014 &amp;quot;catch&amp;quot; their emotions. Instead of infecting others with your draggy mood, try to lift yourself by catching the energy of a boisterous friend. 6. TACKLE AN ITEM ON YOUR TO-DO LIST Unfinished tasks weigh you down. So if you feel bad about skipping your skin cancer check, not having completed an overdue report, or not having faced this month&amp;#039;s bills, force yourself to tackle one thing that&amp;#039;s nagging at you. It&amp;#039;s tough, but you will feel a huge rush of energy when you cross it off your list. 7. CLEAN UP I&amp;#039;m not sure why tidying makes such a huge difference, but when I feel like I can&amp;#039;t face the day, I tidy up my desk, and I perk right up.  Next:  Here are some other ideas, grouped by category, to try: FUN \u2022 Add a fun thing to your calendar, such as trying a new recipe. \u2022 Better, add a fun thing to your calendar that involves other people. For instance, I have a friend who loves visiting perfume shops as much as I do, and every once in a while we plan a perfume-shop outing. \u2022 Best, add a fun thing to your calendar that involves other people and has you doing something outdoors. Studies show that just being outside in the sunshine helps boost your sense of focus and good cheer. CHALLENGE \u2022 Think of a subject that you wish you knew more about (be honest \u2014 something that really interests you) and spend 15 minutes on the Internet reading about it. \u2022 Take a step toward acquiring a new skill you&amp;#039;d like to have \u2014 research Italian classes in your neighborhood, investigate a Photoshop class you can take online. \u2022 If you can&amp;#039;t think of one single subject that interests you, visit two bookstores (one huge chain, one independent store) and browse until some book catches your attention. Then buy and read the book. DOING GOOD, FEELING GOOD \u2022 Sign up to be an organ donor (and don&amp;#039;t forget to tell your family that you&amp;#039;ve chosen to do so). \u2022 Write a check \u2014 even a small one \u2014 for a good cause. \u2022 Sign up to volunteer for or participate in an organization that furthers a cause you value. ENERGY \u2022 Walk around the block. \u2022 Do 10 jumping jacks. \u2022 Go to the gym or out for a run. ORDER \u2022 Clear out the space around your computer. \u2022 Clean out a closet. \u2022 Walk through your house with a garbage bag and clear clutter until the bag is full of trash. Then walk around again and fill a new bag with things to be given away. Repeat. BANISHING GUILT \u2022 Reach out to a family member you&amp;#039;ve been neglecting. \u2022 Make something right: Apologize, confess, repair, replace \u2014 or return something you borrowed. BEING A GOOD CITIZEN \u2022 Throw away someone else&amp;#039;s litter. \u2022 Be helpful to an elderly person or a person with small kids. \u2022 Be friendly to a store clerk who seems grouchy. To feel happier quickly, it helps to remember that you have to &amp;quot;burn energy to create energy.&amp;quot; When I&amp;#039;m at my most sluggish, apathetic, and gloomy, I can often kick myself into gear by burning some energy: running up the stairs, singing out loud, doing a whirlwind tidy-up of our apartment, or crossing some nagging task off my list. Counterintuitively, perhaps, these exertions don&amp;#039;t drain me even more. Instead, they furnish a much-needed surge of energy. By pushing yourself to burn a little energy by tackling a task, you&amp;#039;ll give yourself a shot of energy and cheer. If you can&amp;#039;t face a big task, just do something small. Even a little step in the right direction will give you a lift. I love this quote by Dag Hammarskjold, from his book Markings: &amp;quot;Do not look back. And do not dream about the future, either. It will neither give you back the past, nor satisfy your other daydreams. Your duty, your reward \u2014 your destiny \u2014 are here and now.&amp;quot;  How do you find happiness in the here and now? E-mail me at gretchen@goodhousekeeping.com. I&amp;#039;d love to hear from you! Happiness Thought for June &amp;quot;It is only possible to live happily ever after on a daily basis.&amp;quot; \u2014Margaret Bonanno "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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