Join us for a fascinating conversation with my guest, Mike Rucker, an organizational psychologist and behavioral scientist. Mike unveils the intriguing science of happiness and warns us about the risk of 'ornamental hygiene' that can emerge from excessively pursuing this emotion. His book, 'The Fun Habit,' serves as a guide to experience a life filled with happiness without obsessively quantifying it. Mike shares his journey into the field of positive psychology that started with the International Positive Psychology Association. As we delve deeper, we explore the importance of autonomy and time affluence. Mike emphasizes the need for personalized approaches to support psychological well-being when common interventions fall short. We further discuss reclaiming agency and developing cognitive reserve to combat burnout. Fostering pro-social behavior and creating meaningful memories take center stage in our conversation. In the final segment, Mike enlightens us about  the difference between passive and active leisure. He explains the Hedonic Flexibility Principle and how curtailing unenjoyable activities can make room for purposeful leisure. As someone mentored by Michael Jervais, Mike also gives us a peek into his personal life and how he uses behavioral science to make activities fun, thereby improving engagement.  This is a great opportunity to uncover these riveting topics with Mike Rucker, a beacon in the field of positive psychology. If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md