In the wake of positive emotions, it is easier for us to overcome laziness and do something healthy, for example, go for a run.
This conclusion was reached by researchers from the University of Kent (USA), whose article in the journal Motivation and Emotion.
Scientists conducted an experiment involving 197 students. For ten days, participants five times a day, at random times, received a questionnaire by e-mail, the questions of which they had to answer immediately. First of all, the participants were required to rate their current emotional state in various aspects (for example, the level of stress, fear, guilt, happiness, pleasure, and so on) on a scale from zero to seven.
Based on these ratings, the researchers concluded what mood each participant was in at certain moments of the day — in positive or negative.
In addition to reporting their emotions, participants also reported whether they were doing something healthy at that moment — playing sports, spending time with a loved one, doing their hobbies, indulging in relaxation or meditation.
As the researchers expected, participants who were generally in a positive emotional state were more likely to do something that was good for their physical or mental health than people who were generally in a bad mood. Moreover, a change in an already good mood to an even better one increased the chances that a person would do something pleasant and useful on the same day. True, the positive effect of a good mood does not last long, within one day, nothing more.
As the researchers note, there is a two-way relationship here — a good mood makes us do useful things, and such behavior itself, in turn, contributes to an increase in mood. Therefore, if it is difficult for you to force yourself to do something useful, wait for positive emotions, and on this wave it will be easier to go jogging or meditate.
Pallavi Aurora, David J. Disabato, Karin G. Coifman «Positive affect predicts engagement in healthy behaviors within a day, but not across days». Motivation and Emotion, 2022.