9 Habits Positive Psychologists Swear By For Mental Health

Between doomscrolling social media, replacing breakfast with coffee and not getting any fresh air, we are certainly aware of the behaviors that are harmful to our physical and mental health. But, unfortunately, it’s easy to fall into these behavior traps.

What seems to be harder is following habits that actually help you feel better and set you up for a more well-rounded, supportive and fulfilling life.

Positive psychology experts, who focus on the strategies and behaviors that help people flourish, say there are definitive, research-backed habits that can let you do just that. And these are practices they personally swear by, too.

The behaviors they follow are likely things you’ve heard before, but the good they do for your emotional and mental state cannot be overemphasized. Below, experts share the habits they practice to have the most fulfilling life possible:

“The most important thing that I will prioritize is social connection,” said Tim Bono, a lecturer in psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. “So, if I know that friends are getting together for dinner, or to go watch a movie or something else like that, I will make it a point to modify whatever I need to about my schedule to spend time with them.”

Why? Research shows ― again and again ― that the strongest predictor of happiness and well-being is the time we spend with other people.

Gregory Sullivan, the program director of the Positive Coaching and Athletic Leadership master’s program at the University of Missouri, added that you should focus on developing your “3 a.m. friends” — the people you can call, and who would call you, if there is an emergency in the wee hours of the morning.

Research has suggested “that the key to a healthier, happier life wasn’t about wealth, or fame or working harder, but … your ability to engage in positive relationships keeps you healthier and happier,” Sullivan said.