According to research published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, valuing your time more than the pursuit of money is linked to greater happiness. “It appears that people have a stable preference for valuing their time over making more money, and prioritizing time is associated with greater happiness,” said the lead researcher. In six studies with more than 4,600 participants, the investigators found an almost even split with slightly more than half of the participants stating they prioritized their time more than money. If people want to focus more on their time and less on money in their lives, they could take some actions to help shift their perspective, such as working slightly fewer hours. “Even giving up a few hours of a paycheck to volunteer at a food bank may have more bang for your buck in making you feel happier,” said the authors.
Source: Society for Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2016