London - Those who prefer to spend time on their hobbies and earn less are happier than those who choose to work longer hours for big pay packets, a study has found.
Spending time in more “meaningful” ways, such as on pastimes, with family or exercising, leads to greater feelings of well-being, researchers say.
Society is split down the middle between those who value their personal time and are happy to collect a more modest salary, and those would rather work longer hours for greater rewards.
But it is the former group who have the biggest smiles on their faces, the Canadian academics said. Lead researcher Ashley Whillans, a psychologist at the University of British Columbia, carried out six studies involving 4 600 participants, the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal reports.
The findings held true for people on varying incomes and across the sexes. Older workers were more likely to prioritise their spare time, but that could be because they had a higher disposable income.
Daily Mail