What if well-being didn’t require stepping away from life—but could live inside it? Psychologist Eli Susman spent a decade pursuing this question at Harvard and Berkeley, noticing how often we’re told mindfulness, self-compassion, and joy can only be found through retreats, long meditations, or hours on the yoga mat.
Enter micropractice: a term Susman coined for the bite-size techniques that help us find well-being in the middle of modern life’s demands. In this beautifully illustrated guide, Susman distills time-honored wisdom and his own pioneering research into 14 practices anchored in 4 core elements—each 30 seconds or less:
- MOVE: Energize with microyoga or a spontaneous microdance.
- TOUCH: Soothe anxiety, enhance self-compassion, and lower cortisol by petting a dog or resting your hands on your heart and belly.
- BREATHE: Reset your nervous system and release endorphins with intentional breathing, laughter yoga, or singing.
- FLOW: Infuse awareness and care into what you’re already doing—turning daily life itself into practice.
Along the way, Susman reveals the science of habit formation that helps these micropractices stick, build resilience, and make well-being a way of being.
Author
Eli Susman, PhD
Eli Susman, PhD is a psychologist, writer, certified yoga teacher, laughter yoga leader, and longtime meditation practitioner and facilitator. A rising thought leader and former Harvard researcher with degrees from Middlebury and UC Berkeley, he brings a rare ability to unite the ancient wisdom of contemplative traditions with the latest advances in psychological science. His research on micropractice has garnered considerable attention, with over 100 outlets spanning 30 languages featuring his work including The New York Times, CNN, BBC, ABC News, CBS News, NPR’s Hidden Brain, the Los Angeles Times, The Telegraph, New Scientist, Forbes, Inc., Psychology Today, 10% Happier, and The Science of Happiness Podcast—and was recognized by Greater Good Magazine as one of the “Top 10 Insights from the Science of a Meaningful Life in 2024.”
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