Want To Have A Happier New Year? Get Creative Says Science

We all have different ways of winding down and relaxing after a long week. For some, it’s indulging in an eight-hour long Netflix binge. For others, it’s exercise, reading, or kickstarting the creative side of their minds and getting crafty.

Each one of these activities benefits our bodies and minds, but having a creative side hustle outside of work can lead to increased job satisfaction, and’small-time creative pursuits – like cooking, knitting, or even doodling – can influence your overall well-being for the better according to a new study?published in the?Journal of Positive Psychology.

Researchers recruited?658 volunteers to keep a daily diary for two weeks, describing their mood and rating how creative they had been over the course of the day (according to ScienceOfUs,?creativity was defined as ?coming up with novel or original ideas; expressing oneself in an original and useful way; or spending time doing artistic activities?).

Participants were also asked to rank how their creative activity made them feel based on what’s called the “the flourishing scale”. From this, researchers could come to the conclusion that people who spend time on creative goals (even just one) during a day are associated with higher activated positive affect (PA) on that day. What’s more, people who engaged in creative pursuits today felt significantly more energetic, enthusiastic, and excited the next day. In layman’s?terms: get your creative juices flowing for a happier you.

In layman’s?terms: get your creative juices flowing for a happier you.

You don’t have to be a professional artist or prolific writer to get involved in creative projects: why not start off small and try your hand at adult colouring books, start a daily diary, or small DIY jobs around the house or in the garden.

Stuck for time? Daydreaming is even considered as a creative activity because of the imaginative power of your brain. So close your eyes and let your mind wander *exhale slowly*.