Self-Improvement Give Yourself Permission to Have More Fun With Dr. Mike Rucker By Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Published on February 20, 2023 Print Verywell / Julie Bang Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Meet Dr. Mike Rucker What You’ll Hear on the Show Quotes From Dr. Rucker More About the Podcast Every Monday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / Amazon Music Meet Dr. Mike Rucker Mike Rucker, PhD, is an organizational psychologist who focuses on the science of fun. He’s a charter member of the International Positive Psychology Association, and his academic work has been published in peer-reviewed journals. He discovered that many of the tools he had built as a student of positive psychology failed to help him during a difficult time in his life. He realized there was a lot of misinformation about happiness, so he launched his research into strategies that could bring more joy into his life. He wrote a book called the "Fun Habit," which encourages people to permit themselves to have more fun. He describes concrete strategies for creating time for fun and describes how to make everyday activities, like going to work, more enjoyable. What Is Happiness? What You’ll Hear on the Show Why we don’t value fun even though it’s really important How to start incorporating more fun into your life How to make everyday activities more fun The steps you can take to make work more fun The benefits of having more fun The biggest misconceptions about happiness and fun How to prevent burnout How to figure out what brings you joy in life Why Instagram influencers sometimes confuse us about what we’re supposed to be doing for fun in life How having a hobby can give you more energy An exercise that will help you figure out what kinds of fun are most important to you How to become more mindful of how you’re spending your time How a shift in attitude can help you have more fun in your life 7 Fun Stress Relieving Activities Quotes From Dr. Rucker Dr. Rucker, PhD When we aimlessly go through our day, it's a pretty direct path toward unhappiness. — Dr. Rucker, PhD "Even if we're doing things like taking care of others, we're getting to do it rather than having to do it." The Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter More About the Podcast The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too. Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors. Thank you. For media or public speaking inquiries, contact Amy here. Download the Transcript Links and Resources Check out Dr. Rucker’s website: michaelrucker.com Buy a copy of The Fun Habit Follow Dr. Rucker on Instagram: @TheWonderofFun If You Liked This Episode, You Might Also Like These Episodes Friday Fix: How Growing a Garden Could Reduce Your Depression How to Make Friends and Keep Them With Bestselling Author Eric Barker Friday Fix: Surprising Ways Colors Affect How You Feel and Behave Why Having Fun Provides Some of the Best Stress Relief By Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Speak to a Therapist Online Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.