Daydreaming or otherwise letting your mind wander may be a normal human tendency, but it doesn’t bode well for your emotional well being, according to a study published in November, 2010 in the journal Science.
Harvard University psychologists gathered data from 2,250 men and women between the ages 18 and 88. Participants in the iPhone app study were asked to report their level of happiness, what they were doing, and whether they were focused on the moment or thinking about something else that was positive, negative or neutral.
The study found that nearly 50% of the participants were usually thinking about the past or the future rather than the present moment. Researchers concluded that mind-wandering was typically the cause, rather than the result of discontent. People tended to be happiest when exercising, engaging in sexual activity or conversing with another. Happiness levels were lowest while using the computer, working, or resting.
Tips for Living a Happier Life
Your attitude and actions determine your happiness, while what you do and where you live seem to make little difference, reports the Mayo Clinic. Your level of contentment generally goes up when you make an effort to focus on the positive things going on in the present moment instead of replaying events of the past or fretting about the future. Don’t put off joy until your life is less hectic because that day may never come, advises the Mayo Clinic.
Spending time with happy people can lift your spirits and make you feel more joyful. Finding at least one thing you are grateful for each day can help steer your mind back to the positive side of life. The Mayo Clinic recommends thinking of something you are grateful for when you first wake up and again before you go to sleep. Regardless of your circumstances you can usually find something to be grateful for whether it’s something as simple as a good meal or a beautiful sunrise.
"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it." - Groucho Marx
Sources:
Chicago Tribune, “Happiness may depend, in part, on focus” (Accessed November 14, 2010)
Mayo Clinic, “How to be happy: Tips for cultivating contentment” (Accessed November 14, 2010)
Wisdom Quotes, “Happiness” (Accessed November 14, 2010)
Karen Gaskell - Karen Jean Gaskell has worked as a radio and television journalist for more than three decades. During her career Karen has written and ...
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