Hard Work Makes People Happy
That's the word from researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. So if you're having trouble getting back into the swing of things after the holidays, your best bet is to dive right in. According to the BBC News, a new study found that working to achieve a goal makes people happier than actually attaining it. So even though hard work may seem like the last thing you want to do, it might be the key to happiness.
The research team did interviews with hundreds of people around the world to try to find out what makes us feel fulfilled. You might think winning the lottery or achieving a goal at work would make people happy but it only gives a temporary high, that doesn't last. What did make for lasting happiness was working hard to reach a goal. But the researchers say that the theory is only true if the work matches up to a person's strengths.
So if you're a creative type and you work in advertising, working hard on a proposal will have a bigger payoff for you emotionally than landing a big account. Otherwise, it can have the opposite effect and be demoralizing. Like if you're a successful accountant but what really floats your boat is music. Working hard at accounting isn't going to bring you lasting happiness. But working hard to learn to play a piece of music will.
So what if you're not part of the working world, where do you find happiness? Lead researcher Dr. Bengt Bruelde said the most important thing is to remain active. Their research clearly showed that the most active people, mentally and physically, got the most joy out of life. So even though it might be tempting to lie on the beach all day, it's not satisfying for very long.