Dogs, daily delights and ditching Twitter: could a ‘fun-tervention’ improve my life – in just one month?

The author of a new book says having more fun builds resilience and will help get us through the next stage of the pandemic. But can she get me out of my funk?

‘I thought: “Everyone knows you’re not a real mum”’ – the pain of parental impostor syndrome

Feeling like a fraud is bad enough at work but even more corrosive when it comes to raising a family. How can parents overcome damaging self-doubt?

Noises off: the battle to save our quiet places

We wouldn’t condone litter in our parks and countryside, so why do we put up with sound pollution? Alex Moshakis meets the people tasked with ‘saving quiet for the benefit of all life’ and hears their stories

‘I’ve been expecting things to fall apart at any moment’: Dan Smith on 10 years of body dysmorphia, burnout and Bastille

He has found critical and commercial success, while behind the scenes the frontman has battled with his self-confidence and severe stage fright. He explains why he still loves being in the band

‘Don’t plan it, just go!’: how to be spontaneous – and grab some unexpected fun

The pandemic has left our best-laid plans in disarray, but we can still have spur-of-the-moment adventures

Skateboarding in middle age: ‘It helps me switch off’

It’s good for mental health, a study found, but what’s it like being an older person at the skatepark?

Why new year resolutions can just cause you more stress

Focusing on a more mindful life instead of chasing targets creates space to reflect, says Vishvapani Blomfield, Buddhist contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day

Are you having a laugh? Why NHS doctors will soon be prescribing a dose of comedy

They say laughter is the best medicine – and trauma patients in Bristol are about to put the theory to the test

When grit isn’t great: letting go rather than pushing through can help our wellbeing

People with high levels of perseverance often persist with difficult tasks to their own detriment. There is value in knowing when to quit

Lost your get up and go? Here’s how to get it back

After a lifetime of loving exercise, Martin Love lost his motivation. But where had it gone? And could he get it back? Plus, five experts on how to maintain your mojo