How to Prioritize Joy in a Busy Schedule: Practical Tips for Everyday Happiness
Between school, friends, work, family, your partner, and other random events that come up, life in your 20s and 30s is busy! With such hectic schedules, we start to focus on accomplishing our tasks and just getting through the days and weeks. We forget to prioritize joy. After all, as crazy as young adulthood can be, it should also be a time for fun and happiness.
Prioritizing joy does not have to mean altering your schedule, or forgoing important commitments. This post will outline approachable adjustments and reframings you can employ to find joy in your everyday schedule.
What does joy mean to you?
What brings one person joy is not the same for the other. First, think about what makes you smile or what kind of activities motivate you to get through the weekdays. It could range from reading a stimulating Substack post to going to your favorite singer or band’s concert. Maybe it’s cooking your favorite meal or a baked good. Perhaps it’s time with loved ones, or time alone painting and journaling.
Prioritizing Your Personal Joy in Everyday Life
Now, how can we highlight that in your everyday schedule? While it’s rare to be able to go to a concert every night, that doesn’t mean music can’t bring you joy throughout the day, for example. Here are some examples of small, joy-oriented adjustments you might consider making:
Invest in a speaker to play your favorite songs during your daily shower
Set aside thirty minutes before bed to read your favorite genre of book
Treat grocery shopping as a luxurious experience, finding excitement in selecting a new brand of butter
Give a call to a friend or family member just to chat
Larger-Scale Adjustments
These daily additions of joy will hopefully improve your mood throughout your weekly schedule. But, sometimes, joy needs to be the main event. Having a fun event marked in your calendar, even if it’s a month ahead, can bring excitement during the lead up and delight in the actual moment.
If you like to plan and host, you can consider:
Hosting friends for a night which revolves around your favorite foods you want to share
Snagging a reservation at one of the restaurants you’ve been meaning to try
Picking a weekend to go on a hike with close ones
If you prefer a solo night, think of:
Attending a bookstore event
Finding the best restaurant bar to sit at and get your favorite meal
Trying a new exercise class that honors your preferred way to move your body
If you’re more of a home-body, you could:
Block out a weekend day or night to watch a new movie, with your favorite snacks
Invest in some new skincare and treat yourself to an at-home spa night
Tackle a laborious baking recipe, like cinnamon rolls from scratch
Create something artistic, like a collage or watercolor painting
Conclusion: Intentionality
The key to prioritizing joy in your busy schedule is intentionality. The hardest step is actually deciding to prioritize your inner joy. Once you determine what is blissful to you and start making those intentional adjustments to incorporate and embrace joy in your life, it will become an irreplaceable part of your routine. Gone will be the days of showers without your favorite tunes playing, or the passive grocery runs in which you select whatever is closest to you. The smaller adjustments will make you more eager to plan for joy in the longer term. Hopefully your positive state becomes infectious and encourages your loved ones to make the same small mindset shifts.
