Happiness, faith and work heavily correlated according to research

[FfFfFfFF 58,371]

Over the past two decades, American workers have been working more and more hours. A 2020 Gallup poll found that 44% of full-time employees were working over 45 hours a week, while 17% of people were working 60 or more hours weekly.

The result of this overworked culture is that happiness and success really do seem to be a zero-sum equation. There is a cost, often a human one, with work and family playing tug-of-war for time and attention, and with personal happiness the victim either way. This was true long before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Studies of happiness seem to become more popular during periods of high societal stress. It is perhaps no coincidence that the longest-running study of happiness, administered by Harvard University, originated during the Great Depression. In 1938, researchers measured physical and mental health of 268 then-sophomores and, for 80 years, tracked these men and some of their descendants.

Their main finding? “Close relationships, more than money or fame … keep people happy throughout their lives.” This includes both a happy marriage and family, and a close community of supportive friends. Importantly, the relationships highlighted in the study are those based on love, care and equality, rather than abuse and exploitation.

Just as the Great Depression motivated Harvard’s study, the current pandemic inspired social scientist Arthur Brooks to launch a weekly column on happiness titled “How to Build a Life.” In his first article for the series, Brooks loops in research showing faith and meaningful work – in addition to close relationships – can enhance happiness.

Source - https://bigthink.com/the-past/ancient-rome-happiness/

 

[HermioneT 1,998]

I really can't imagine working over 45 hours a week  I'm doing 38 ( well, in busy weeks around 40) and it's just so managable with chores, friendships, relationship, keeping up habits like sports and reading and voluntary work.

To the main statements: I've been reading into th Harvard study some years ago and since then trying to incorporate this into my life. I stayed geographically close to family and friends through my university time and now in job, too. I never regretted it. 

To back up the findings of the article: my bf is working in elder pastoral care at the moment and he too, says that what stays with people until the end of their life is the memory of their families/partners and the time they spend with them. Also meaningful work, like those who had a job that was meaningful will talk passionately about it in lengths and keep up with news about it. It's usually the case that people who were dedicated to and successful in their job, also had strong relationships/family bonds and lots of happy memories to look back (and in the best case still family around them).

[A MESS 3,938]

“Close relationships, more than money or fame … keep people happy throughout their lives.”

Cue to me being neglected by every single person I know and cared about on the planet during a 18 months long pandemic 

[sarahb 17,207]

52 minutes ago, HermioneT said:

I really can't imagine working over 45 hours a week  I'm doing 38 ( well, in busy weeks around 40) and it's just so managable with chores, friendships, relationship, keeping up habits like sports and reading and voluntary work.

Once when I was looking for jobs one that was advertised was working at a kids club on a Disney cruise ship. 

It was 80 hours a week, 7 days a week for a few months straight Absolutely insane.

[jobot 136]

5 minutes ago, A MESS said:

“Close relationships, more than money or fame … keep people happy throughout their lives.”

Cue to me being neglected by every single person I know and cared about on the planet during a 18 months long pandemic 

That’s so tough  and so true, I have suffered a little from not having close friends around. I’m sending you hugs. Hopefully you can make some special new connections as isolation lifts more