Here are three quick actions that can boost your happiness today, each taking less than 10 minutes.

Prioritizing joy can be a challenging task when work and family responsibilities are already overwhelming. Adding another task to an already busy schedule can feel overwhelming, even if it's meant to increase one's own happiness.

Even the busiest person can execute quick, therapist-approved tasks in under 10 minutes.

Here are three quick and easy science-based ways to improve your mood today.

1. Text or call a friend

Nurturing positive relationships in your life is easy by texting or calling a friend to let them know you're thinking about them, according to Vienna Pharaon, a therapist and author of "The Origins of You."

Doing for others makes us feel good and strengthens connections, she remarks.

According to a 2022 study, people consistently underestimate how much their friends want to hear from them. However, an unexpected phone call or text is actually very appreciated, and the more surprising the call, the better it's received.

2. Do something hard that you've been avoiding

The Zeigarnik effect, a psychological phenomenon, causes us to remember undone tasks better than completed ones, leading to cognitive dissonance and hindering our ability to focus on other projects.

Completing even the smallest task on your to-do list can alleviate some of this stress and trigger your brain to release dopamine.

Pharaon says that addressing something you've been ignoring can lighten the load and allow you to accomplish something that's been weighing you down.

Science suggests that tasks that seem unappealing, such as scheduling a dentist appointment or vacuuming your rug, may actually bring you joy.

3. Give someone a compliment

According to Laurie Santo, a psychology professor at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast, we can improve our mood by giving someone else a compliment.

According to a 2020 study, even if the idea of complimenting someone makes you anxious, you're likely to feel better after doing it.

""Compliment someone on something you've long admired, reveal to a colleague that you thought they did a nice job at a work meeting, remind a friend how much you appreciate them, or tell a stranger that you like their shoes or their bag," Santos advises."

According to Santos, the positive effects of a quick compliment can persist beyond the immediate interaction.

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