Happiness is … more time, not more money

When people invest too much time and energy into making more money, it’s often because they assume
the extra cash will bring greater happiness. But they are wrong. People with more free time are actually
happier, healthier, and more productive than people who work all the time and make more money,
according to Whillans’ research, including a 2019 study (pdf) of working adults in 79 countries.

“I WAS JUSTIFYING MY CHOICES BY TELLING MYSELF WHAT A LOT OF US TELL OURSELVES: THAT WE’RE
WORKING HARD NOW SO WE WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO BE HAPPY LATER.”

Too much work and not enough play is making an increasing number of people feel “time poor”—
stressed from having too many things to do and not enough time to do them. In 2011, 70 percent of
working Americans reported that they “never had enough time,” and by 2018, that number increased to
80 percent, according to Gallup US Daily Poll data.

How do we free up time and improve our moods? Whillans says it starts with prioritizing activities that
bring us joy—savoring a well-cooked meal with a spouse, taking a leisurely walk with a friend, reading a
book to a child—and minimizing the time-sucking nonsense that drags us down, like long commutes,
household chores, and mindless scrolling on social media.

We must make deliberate, sometimes difficult choices that protect the precious hours in our days,
Whillans says, whether it’s a big decision like pursuing a less-demanding career or a smaller one like
opting to take the handful of vacation days we normally let go unused.