Give Yourself Permission to Have More Fun With Dr. Mike Rucker

On The Verywell Mind Podcast, 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 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

Quotes From Dr. Rucker

• "When we aimlessly go through our day, it's a pretty direct path toward unhappiness."
• "Even if we're doing things like taking care of others, we're getting to do it rather than having to do it."

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.

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