Are you too hard on yourself? Most of us are. But there’s something simple we can do to get rid of those negative feelings. In a new study, when people wrote down their negative thoughts on paper and then physically threw the paper away, they mentally discarded the thoughts as well. “It may sound silly, but it really works,” says study author Richard Petty, PhD, professor of psychology at The Ohio State University. On the other hand, people were more likely to find their thoughts useful when making judgments if they wrote them down and tucked the paper in a pocket. So trash the negative and pocket the positive!

Do you find that you spend too much? The solution may be to fill your wallet with crisp, new bills. Researchers at University of Guelph and University of Winnipeg in Canada found that worn-out money is spent faster. Bills that look old and worn are used more quickly—and people who have only old bills tend to spend more money than those who have new ones. People with worn bills also are more likely to gamble with them than are people who have new bills. Next time you’re at a bank or the store, ask for the crisp, new stuff!

There’s no doubt about it—sunlight is uplifting. And lucky for us, we’ re about to get more of it since Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 am this Sunday. (“Spring forward”—be sure to set your clocks ahead one hour). We know that this means one less hour of sleep this weekend, but it means much more sunlight in the afternoons. Enjoy those extra rays!

Don’t feel guilty if you plop down in front of a TV rerun tonight—or pick up your dog-eared copy of Pride and Prejudice, which you’ve already read 50 times. Researchers from the University of Buffalo in New York found that turning to a familiar fictional world—whether it’s a TV show or a novel—can help people feel more in control and calmer after a tough day. So get on the couch—and click on Netflix. You’re not a couch potato…you’re giving yourself a much-needed restorative boost.