Happiness comes cheap - even for millionaires
October 18th, 2007A bar of chocolate, a long soak in the bath, a snooze in the middle of the afternoon, a leisurely stroll in the park. These are the things that make us the most happy, according to new research from The University of Nottingham.
In a study commissioned by the National Lottery, Dr Richard Tunney of the University's School of Psychology found that it's the simple things in life that impact most positively on our sense of well being.
The study compared the 'happiness levels' of lottery jackpot winners with a control group, using a 'Satisfaction with Life Scale' developed by the University of Illinois. Respondents were asked how satisfied they were in relation to different elements of their life, their different mood states explored, how often they treated themselves and what form this took.
Surprisingly, it wasn't the flashy cars and diamond jewellery that upped the jackpot winners' happiness quotient. It was the listening to music, reading a book, or enjoying a bottle of wine with a takeaway that really made the difference.
Dr Tunney said: “Modern-day pressures take their toll on everyday happiness. As a result we try to make ourselves feel better and happier through personal rewards and treats. We've all heard the saying 'a little bit of what you fancy does you good', and treating yourself is the ideal way to keep spirits lifted when you're down in the dumps.
“As lottery jackpot winners are on the whole happier than non-winners — 95 per cent claim they are positive about their life compared to 71 per cent of people in the control group — we researched the treats they rewarded themselves with to see what could influence their mood state.”
The survey contrasted cost-free activities, such as walking and snoozing, with expensive ones like overseas holidays. It asked how frequently they might purchase 'staying in treats' — like a bottle of wine — and how often they bought themselves items like shoes, mobile phones and DVDs.
The research found that happy people — whether lottery jackpot winners or not — liked long baths, going swimming, playing games and enjoying their hobby. Those who described themselves as less happy didn't choose the cost-free indulgences. They rewarded themselves with CDs, cheap DVDs and inexpensive meals out instead.
“While buying sports cars, giving up work and going on exotic holidays is out of reach for most of us, there are small lessons we can learn from society's happiest people to help improve our quality of life,” Dr Tunney added.
“It appears that spending time relaxing is the secret to a happy life. Cost-free pleasures are the ones that make the difference — even when you can afford anything that you want.”
Source: University of Nottingham
May 06, 2009 |
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- The cost of that bar of chocolate equals the cost of a bag of rice, and the rice will feed them for two or three days.
- The bathroom is broken or so run-down that no amount of scrubbing can make it pleasant; a long soak in the bath would subject them to foul odors and perhaps even disease.
- Afternoons are spent working, every day, as are mornings, and many evenings. A snooze in the middle of the afternoon, even an inadvertent nodding off from being exhausted, will result in being fired. Fear = awake.
- A neighborhood park either doesn't exist or isn't safe. A leisurely stroll would only invite being raped, robbed, or killed.
No, money may not buy happiness, but a severe lack of it can put happiness largely out of reach.
BTW, I've lived through all of those scenarios, and the link between poverty and depression is real and has definable external causes. Want to really start beating back poverty?
- Create safe, pleasant public spaces within walking distances of neighborhoods, and enforce no-tolerance policies for troublemakers. Empower residents to take an active role in maintaining, upgrading, and monitoring their public space (community gardens, playground monitors, etc.)
- Change wage and hour laws to force employers to "hire permanent," pay wages sufficient to cover basic living expenses, and give employees some personal time off of work without risk of losing their job.
- Create community grocery co-ops within walking distance of neighborhoods that allow residents to buy fresh, healthy foods in quantities that can be used before spoilage (safe storage of food can be difficult in some buildings) at reasonable prices.
- Make fix-up money more readily available to low income tenants and landlords, and organize community improvement drives. Recruit professionals (electricians, plumbers, etc.) to act as consultants during fix-up events, and encourage home center stores to donate supplies and scratch-n-dent items for the fix-ups.
When you give a neighborhood some hope and a few needed resources, then motivate the people to help themselves...they eventually will. It takes some time for this to happen because it takes time to rebuild broken faith and hope.