Micropractice - by Eli Susman (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Find calm, clarity, and joy in seconds with micropractice: a science-backed method that doesn't ask for more of your time, but helps you unlock the power in the moments you already have.

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.

Review Quotes

"Micropractice is a joyful and practical invitation to weave creativity into the fabric of everyday life--transforming humming, movement, and other expressive moments into powerful tools for regulation and resilience. Grounded in psychological science and contemplative wisdom, it beautifully advances the promise of neuroaesthetics by showing how artful, 30-second practices can nurture calm, clarity, and connection wherever we are."--Susan Magsamen, Executive Director, International Arts, Mind Lab Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, New York Times bestselling co-author of Your Brain on Art

"This is quite an extraordinary book, a rare combination of scientific insight, simple yet transformational tools, and joyful encouragement. It's beautifully written, and Eli Susman is a friendly companion on every page, funny, kind, so smart, and so wise. It's a gem, and destined to become a classic."--Rick Hanson, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Buddha's Brain, Hardwiring Happiness, and Resilient

"Micropractice challenges the idea that meaningful change requires time we don't have. Eli Susman makes a compelling case for integrating moments of awareness into everyday life, offering a much-needed rethinking of what it means to practice well-being."--Anne-Laure Le Cunff, neuroscientist and author of Tiny Experiments

"Micropractice by Eli Susman is a powerful and timely reimagining of self-care for a busy world. Grounded in research showing that even 20 seconds of self-compassionate touch a day can significantly enhance well-being, it reveals that meaningful change doesn't require more time--only a wiser approach. In a culture where we're already overwhelmed, the last thing we need is to criticize ourselves for not doing enough. This book offers a liberating, science-based solution: simple practices woven into everyday moments, helping us cultivate calm, compassion, and clarity without added pressure."--Kristin Neff, author of Self-Compassion and Fierce Self-Compassion

"Eli Susman is a shining star who changes the way we think about finding well-being and happiness. A powerful read."--Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, author of Transcend

About the Author

Eli Susman, PhD, is a psychologist, writer, certified yoga teacher, laughter yoga leader, longtime meditation practitioner and facilitator, and former Harvard researcher with degrees from Middlebury and UC Berkeley. His research on micropractice has been featured in over 100 outlets spanning 30 languages, 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."