This week’s Smart Bite is inspired by Dr. Kelly McGonigal, a recent Wellness Wednesday speaker and author of The Joy of Movement. Dr. McGonigal’s research shows that just three minutes of movement like swaying or bouncing, even from a chair, can provide us with an emotional boost.

With this in mind, I came up with the idea of taking a Joy Break during the day, since I spend way too much time sitting at my kitchen table, hunched over a computer. The idea behind a Joy Break is simple: just get up and do some type of movement that you enjoy. This is a quick break, no more than a few minutes. Don’t think of it as exercise, because that will most likely take the joy out of it.

Try an Experiment

It took me a while to find something fun that didn’t seem like work. First, I went outside and trimmed some geraniums or pulled a few weeds. This brought my husband joy, but me—not so much. Then I realized my dog, Bella, was just as sedentary as her mom, so we started taking our Joy Breaks together. If I get out of my chair, Bella will pull herself out of her dog bed. Then we enjoy a few minutes of play in the backyard. Sometimes we chase each other, but most often we just walk around the backyard and look for wildlife in the nearby canyon.

Don’t Overthink It—Just Try It

Sometime today, stop what you’re doing, get up, and move for a few minutes. If you can go outdoors, great. If you want to put on some music, fine. Just see what makes you happy. For more ideas, check out this Joy Workout created by Dr. McGonigal, and available through the New York Times (free with a subscription or free trial).