--- description: Meditation. I listed it as one of the 10 things should you do every day to improve your life. It can boost happiness. Via Shawn... title: What Can Make You Happier, Increase Your Attention Span and Even Make You More Courageous? image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt928f6dad3fa2b9bb/69876418f887dc323ae87e13/meditation.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Psychology](/tag/psychology/) ## Psychology Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # What Can Make You Happier, Increase Your Attention Span and Even Make You More Courageous? by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 5, 2014 5:01 AM CUT  young woman doing yoga,hand close-up young woman doing yoga,hand close-upGetty Images by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 5, 2014 5:01 AM CUT Meditation. I listed it as one of the [10 things should you do every day to improve your life](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/ "undefined"). It can boost happiness. Via Shawn Achor’s [The Happiness Advantage:](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307591549/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307591549 "undefined") --- > “” --- Increase [meaning in life and social support](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/12/is-there-an-easy-way-to-increase-happiness-me/ "undefined"): --- > “” --- Stretch your [attention span](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/07/how-can-you-increase-your-attention-span-in-a/ "undefined"): --- > “” --- That same study showed improvements in anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and vigor: --- > “” --- In his book [The Courage Quotient: How Science Can Make You Braver](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470917423/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0470917423&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"), Robert Biswas-Diener shows how we can use science and research to be more brave. Yoga, prayer, meditation — anything that helped people keep calm proves valuable: --- > “” --- **So how long is this going to take?** Shawn Achor, Harvard happiness expert and author of [The Happiness Advantage](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307591549/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307591549 "undefined") says improvements can be seen with as little as [two minutes a day](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/04/what-are-quick-little-things-you-can-do-to-in/ "undefined"). 30 minutes a day for 8 weeks can rewire your brain for the better. Via Daniel Coyle’s excellent book [The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/034553025X/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=034553025X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- **So how do you do it?** The [Mayo Clinic](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070/NSECTIONGROUP=2 "undefined") explains a number of different methods. Here is the simplest one: --- > “” --- Keeping your attention on your breathing can be very tricky. Frankly, I am terrible at this but I do believe it produces results. Doesn’t hurt that there’s plenty of science and a few thousand years of various religions to back it up. **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/10/happier-increase-attention-span-courageous/ "undefined")**_._** **Join 25K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined"). Related posts: [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/ "undefined") [Here are the things that are proven to make you happier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/here-are-the-things-that-are-proven-to-make-y/ "undefined") [12 ways to eliminate stress](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/12-ways-to-eliminate-stress/ "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3556821/happier-increase-attention-span-courageous/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3556821/happier-increase-attention-span-courageous/"},"headline":"What Can Make You Happier, Increase Your Attention Span and Even Make You More Courageous?","datePublished":"2014-11-05T05:01:20.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:00:13.129Z","description":"Meditation. I listed it as one of the 10 things should you do every day to improve your life. 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