How much free time makes people happy?

According to researchers, that's how many hours it takes

Created: 2022-01-24 15:19

By: Andrea Stettner

Too little relaxation triggers stress in people – too much makes you dissatisfied.

Scientists have found out how much free time really makes you happy.

Overtime at work, then taking care of the children and cleaning the apartment - if you spend your day at work, you hardly have time to relax.

And that can have serious health consequences.

Quite a few people slip into burnout* with a constantly full schedule.

Or they adopt unhealthy eating habits and don't exercise as often.

However, less available time also means

such as cinema, sports or creative hobbies.

According to researchers, it is precisely these two ways of using one's free time that are associated with happiness.

But how much free time do people need to go through life happily and contentedly?

American scientists have investigated this question - and have actually found an answer to it.

Study clarifies connection between free time and satisfaction

For their study, US scientists from the University of Pennsylvania and California (UCLA) examined around 35,000 people in 2018.

Their goal was to find out whether there is a

correlation between the amount of free time and the life satisfaction of the people examined.

Leisure time was considered to be the time when people are awake and can do whatever they want.

Activities might include spending

.

On the other hand, they did not classify time spent on work, household chores, childcare, doctor visits, etc. as free time.

Also read:

Just a few hours of rest from work are enough to make people happy.

© Westend61/Imago

So much free time makes you happy and content

The result: In fact, people are particularly happy if they have an average of

.

This value applies to employees who are employed.

For people who do not work, the optimal value is around 4 hours and 45 minutes.

on the other hand,

.

Also interesting:

Too much free time can have negative consequences

However, more free time does not automatically mean that people are happier – quite the opposite. According to the study, more free time appears to make those affected

. However, it also depends on how those affected spend their time. According to the researchers, those who meet other people in their free time or pursue other meaningful activities such as voluntary work will not be dissatisfied. On the other hand, people who spend most of their time alone, for example in front of the television or on the Internet, tend to be less happy if they have too much free time.

By the way, do you know how to recognize

?

According to researchers, three characteristics indicate a high IQ.