Three micropractices that can boost well-being

When it comes to their health and well-being, Americans are focused on diet.

When asked what wellness activities they typically do at least once a week, 71% of the 807 respondents said they eat fresh fruits and/or vegetables, while 60% said they run, walk, cycle, or do other outdoor exercises. That’s according to a September 2026 YouGov poll of 1,003 American adults.

Only 20% of the 807 people surveyed about their wellness activities said they also practice meditation or mindfulness.

While there’s no denying the importance of a vegetable-rich diet and regular exercise program, there’s plenty of research that points to the psychological benefits of meditation and mindfulness.

More Americans would probably practice mindfulness if they could, says psychologist and author Eli Susman. Life just gets in the way. “Meeting is late, dinner needs to be made, a notification pops up,” he says.

In her new book “Micropractice: A Scientific Approach to Calm, Clarity, and Joy in 30 Seconds or Less,” Susman describes a series of short practices that can be easily incorporated into a busy day. The goal, he says, is not to dedicate hours, or even minutes, to a mindfulness practice. It’s just about doing it consistently.

Here are three mindfulness micropractices that Susman recommends to improve well-being:

1. Micro-dance: Take 30 seconds to do an impromptu dance. It’s simple, he says, “but tell me you don’t feel any different after you get up and dance for 30 seconds.”
2. Daily “kindness”: As you meet people throughout the day, send them good mental health wishes. This can include phrases like “May you be safe, may you be happy, may you be healthy, may you live in ease,” he says, simple words like “safe, happy, healthy, ease” or whatever you come up with on your own. “A phrase I really like to use is, ‘May you know the wonder of being alive,’” he says.
3. Joy of Appreciation Everyday: This practice aims to reduce the urge and can be done whenever an emotion arises, whether during a conversation or even when scrolling through social media. When you feel this jealousy creeping in, try thinking something like, “I’m celebrating my own joys. I celebrate yours too,” says Susman, or “your happiness inspires me.” It’s about embodying the idea that joy is not a limited resource.

Adopting a micropractice is really about recognizing the possibility of being mindful throughout the day, Susman explains, “whether that’s waiting for the microwave to go off, sitting at a red light, waiting at the checkout line, or even just walking to work.”