Azonie's Blog

Ok, I agree with the premise of the story BUT and believe me this is a BIG But..Wouldn't you agree that the reason for more leisure time for the people earning less is the fact that they just aren't working as much?  I mean that's so obvious it could bite you in  the backside if it were a snake. Also, I'm thinking that the majority of those making less then 20,000.00 are probably being supplemented by Government aid in one form or another. So the incentive for them to work harder just isn't there.  

Mo' money, mo' problems?

Most of us believe more money equals more happiness, but we forget a few things. First of all, no matter how much money you make, you can always make more. There's no proven amount you can earn to declare yourself "happy" -- you'll end up chasing a higher salary year after year.

Even if you do reach a higher income level, earning more money doesn't necessarily mean more smiles -- in fact, it probably means more stress. We overlook the fact that earning more typically means working more. Working more means less time with family, friends, and for yourself. If you could earn double your income by working double the hours, would you?

Higher-income people tend to be tenser and devote more time to "obligatory" activities like work, shopping and childcare, according to a nationwide Bureau of Labor statistics survey on how people with varying income spend their time.

Men earning more than $100,000 per year spend 19.9 percent of their time on activities such as socializing or watching television, compared to 34.7 percent for men making less than $20,000, according to government statistics. Women making more than $100,000 spend 19.6 percent of their time on passive leisure, compared with 33.5 percent of those earning less than $20,000.

"In some cases, this focusing illusion may lead to a misallocation of time, from accepting lengthy commutes (which are among the worst moments of the day) to sacrificing time spent socializing (which are among the best moments of the day)," the study says.

Essentially, money is not all that matters in a job or in life. So stop trying to keep pace with the Joneses -- it's what money can't buy that brings happiness.