“It’s essential that you place a high value on your time.”
Happiness is more than simply a positive mood, according to Psychology Today. It is a state of well-being that encompasses living a good life, one with a sense of meaning, purpose and deep contentment. Happiness encompasses feelings of satisfaction and c. involves creating strong relationships and helping others. It requires also uncomfortable or painful experiences—to continue to learn, grow, and evolve.
Coincidentally, emotional well-being refers to the emotional quality of an individual’s everyday experience—the frequency and intensity of experiences of joy, stress, sadness, anger, and affection that make one’s life pleasant or unpleasant.
Time and time again, research has shown that not only do you need a finite amount of money to be happy, but that prioritizing things like time, relationships, hobbies and family may actually lead to long-term well-being. Research shows that the finite sweet spot for yearly income is between $60,000 and $95,000 a year, not a high six-figure salary. Earnings above $95,000 do not necessarily equate to increased well-being.
A study published by Science Advances in 2019 found that recent grads who valued time over money, in which they took jobs that were less demanding but also paid less money, were generally happier.
People who prioritize money are generally driven by extrinsic motivations like shopping, which bring little personal satisfaction, researchers concluded.
On the other hand, people who prioritize time are typically intrinsically motivated, focusing on hobbies, relationships and cultivating gratitude instead. Intrinsic motivations build autonomy and purpose, which lead to long-term happiness, the researchers concluded.
Although wealth offers the potential for people to spend their time in happier ways, such as by living in a more expensive apartment closer to the office, survey data suggest that wealthier individuals often spend more of their time engaging in activities that are less enjoyable, such as commuting. Research suggests that rising incomes are linked to an increased sense of time scarcity.
Takeaway
Happy people live with purpose and value time over money. They find joy in lasting relationships, working toward their goals, and living according to their values. They tend not to garner happiness from material goods or luxury vacations. They’re fine with the simple pleasures of life and cultivating gratitude.
People who cultivate gratitude tend to better appreciate and enjoy life, as gratitude creates satisfaction that is intrinsic. To practice gratitude, reflect on what you’re grateful for each morning to shape the rest of the day, keep a gratitude journal, and reframe negative experiences by finding something within them for which you’re grateful, and can learn and grow.
References:
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/happiness
- https://www.pnas.org/content/107/38/16489.full
- https://www.synchronybank.com/blog/millie/money-and-happiness/
- https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/9/eaax2615.full
- https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/5-things-science-learned-about-happiness-last-year.html
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/happiness/how-find-happiness