"People have a chore list but not a fun list. You think fun should come naturally. But when anxiety turns on, healthy fun is hard to find... It's helpful to prepare a fun list for moments like that." - Dr Loretta Breuning PhD, founder of the Inner Mammal Institute and author of Tame Your Anxiety

When was the last time you deliberately wrote “fun” on your daily agenda? For most of us, life is ruled by the relentless to-do list - paying bills, finishing projects, getting through the shopping. Those lists are useful, but they rarely leave room for joy. Fun gets pushed to “someday,” and too often, that day never comes.

In her book Tame Your Anxiety, Loretta Breuning offers a refreshingly simple solution: create a “fun list.” Instead of waiting until the work is done, a fun list helps us intentionally weave joy into our daily lives. Far from being frivolous, fun is essential fuel for a healthy, resilient brain.

Why Fun Matters For The Brain

Fun doesn’t just lift our spirits - it has real neurological benefits. When we do something enjoyable, our brain releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. These calm stress hormones, improve resilience, and restore clarity. Even a few minutes of light-hearted activity can act like a reset button, giving us the energy to return to challenges with a fresh perspective.

Fun also helps us budget our energy. Pairing effortful tasks with playful breaks creates rhythm and balance, preventing burnout and keeping our brains sharper in the long run.

Creating Your Own Fun List

A fun list is simply a collection of activities that make you feel uplifted. It’s not about being productive or improving yourself - it’s about pure enjoyment. For some, that might mean dancing to a favourite song, sketching a quick doodle, or sharing a laugh with a friend. For others, it could be sitting outside with a cup of tea, or taking a short walk in the sunshine.

Think about the different contexts in your life. What could you do at home, at work, or out-and-about? To make it easy, prepare some options in advance: put together a playlist of your favourite songs, create a list of movies you enjoy, or bookmark short videos from your favourite comedians. Having uplifting content ready and easily accessible means you can quickly tap into it whenever you need a mental lift.

And remember, your fun list isn’t fixed - it’s a living tool. If you try something and it feels boring or even distressing, don’t push through. Simply remove it from the list and switch to something else that genuinely uplifts you. The best fun lists evolve with you, reflecting the activities that truly bring you joy and recharge your brain.

Ultimately, the most important thing is that it’s personal to you. Your fun list is your permission slip to prioritise joy in small, intentional ways. Keep it somewhere visible - on the fridge, in a notebook, or saved on your phone - so it’s easy to dip into whenever you need a boost.

Common Obstacles (and How to Overcome Them)

Even with the best intentions, many people struggle to make fun part of their daily lives. Here are a few common obstacles — and gentle reframes to help you move past them:

"I don't have time"

This is probably the most common barrier of all. Our lives feel packed to the brim, and fun can seem like the least urgent thing on the list. But here’s the truth: fun doesn’t have to take hours. Even five minutes of joy can reset your brain and give you more energy for the rest of the day. Rather than seeing fun as “extra,” think of it as a mini investment that actually buys back your time through sharper focus and restored energy.

"I don't know what's fun anymore"

When responsibilities pile up and life gets busy, it’s easy to lose touch with what feels joyful. If you can’t immediately think of something fun, don’t worry - that simply means it’s time to experiment. Look back at what you enjoyed as a child or in earlier seasons of life. Notice the small things that make you smile now, even fleetingly. Try new activities without pressure. Over time, you’ll rediscover the simple pleasures that make you feel more like yourself.

"I feel guilty about fun"

Many people carry a quiet guilt about taking time for enjoyment. Fun can feel selfish when there’s so much to be done. But guilt often comes from a misunderstanding: fun isn’t indulgence, it’s fuel. When you honour your need for joy, you restore your energy, protect your mental health, and actually become more effective in the long run. Choosing fun isn’t neglecting your responsibilities - it’s equipping yourself to handle them with a clearer, calmer mind.

Your Turn to Create a Fun List

So why not start creating your own fun list today? Choose three or four activities that reliably make you smile, and let it grow as you rediscover what lifts you up. Treat it as a toolkit - something you can turn to when stress builds, energy dips, or you simply need to press reset.

Final Thought

Fun isn’t an optional extra; it’s a brain-boosting necessity. By sprinkling joy into your days, you’re not only lightening your load but also strengthening your brain for whatever comes next. And that may be the most productive choice you make all week.