130-Can Too Much Time On Our Hands Reduce Our Happiness?

It’s fascinating the science around time and happiness.  Today, we’re we’re exploring how we use our time for increased happiness. 

 

Transcript:

 

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I read this article in the Washington Post about having too much time on your hands and how it can affect your happiness.   

 

The article starts out with the premise, a situation we’ve all been in, I’m sure.   

 

“Have you ever had one of those days — that turned into weeks — when you had approximately 645 things to do and not a single minute for leisure time? Like many of us, Cassie Mogilner Holmes sometimes feels as if she lives in that state. She also — and this will probably sound familiar — has entertained the idea of trading all those obligations for a desert island.”

 

That seems pretty spot on.  Holmes, a professor at UCLA did some research about whether leaving it all behind for a deserted island will actually make people happier, and, spoiler alert, the answer is no.  

 

But what’s fascinating is that according to the science, “an individual’s well-being increases in correlation with their free time — but only to a certain point. Although having too little free time isn’t healthy, having too much also diminishes well-being.” 

 

This is why I believe Intentional Margins® are so important.  It’s not the deserted island,but instead the buffer of space and time to live in your priorities, including sleep, reading a book, meditating, anything that you enjoy in your free time.  We were not meant to be stuck on the hamster wheel of todos, that’s not how we were intended to live.  We were meant to live in connection with other humans and have harmony in how we spend our limited time.  

 

And now, there is one more example of how science proves it.   Until next time, I invite you to do something just for you today.  Take a short walk, take some deep breaths, call a friend or message me on social media. We actually respond to our messages.  We’re over @everydayhappinesswithkatie 

 

Inspired by this article in The Washington Post, Why having too much free time can be as bad for you as having too little.

 

 

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