I came across the following article in the Wall Street Journal last week. Many of the themes and experts will be familiar to readers of my previous posts on happiness (hedonic adaptation, Alan Krueger, etc.) but I thought it was interesting nonetheless.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, money can buy happiness. But you have to spend it with care.<\/p>\n
Take your dad to the Super Bowl. Buy a home near the office. Get married. Go out to dinner with the family. Take a memorable vacation, and be sure to buy souvenirs.<\/p>\n
Where does this advice come from? I talked to half-a-dozen academics who specialize in \u00ab\u00a0happiness research\u00a0\u00bb — and asked what changes they had made in their own lives.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Relishing the day.<\/strong> Possibly the biggest obstacle to greater happiness is so-called hedonic adaptation. Sure, you are thrilled when you first get promoted or get a pay raise. But soon enough, the thrill fades and you are lusting after something else.<\/p>\n \u00ab\u00a0When something good happens, you want to find a way to hold on to it for longer,\u00a0\u00bb says David Schkade, a management professor at the University of California at San Diego. For instance, you might go out to dinner to celebrate even modest career accomplishments. Similarly, you should purchase souvenirs or take photos when you’re on vacation, so you remember the trip for longer.<\/p>\n Prof. Schkade tries to follow his own advice. As an undergraduate, he attended the University of Texas at Austin. When the Longhorns won the national championship in January at the Rose Bowl, he bought T-shirts that marked the occasion, so he wouldn’t quickly forget the team’s victory.<\/p>\n \u00ab\u00a0You have to combat adaptation,\u00a0\u00bb Prof. Schkade says. \u00ab\u00a0You want to celebrate the small things, not just the big ones. If you save all your celebrations for getting married or becoming vice president, you won’t celebrate very much.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n \u2022 Dodging traffic.<\/strong> Studies have found that commuting ranks as one of life’s least enjoyable activities. The reason: While folks often adapt to changes in their lives, both good and bad, it’s tough to adapt to commuting, because you can never be sure how much traffic you’ll hit.<\/p>\n \u00ab\u00a0Lack of control is what tends to induce stress in human beings,\u00a0\u00bb notes Andrew Oswald, an economics professor at England’s Warwick University. \u00ab\u00a0It made me re-evaluate whether I should be a long-distance commuter.\u00a0\u00bb A few years ago, Prof. Oswald moved closer to his office, slashing his commuting time from 60 to 20 minutes.<\/p>\n \u2022 Seeing friends.<\/strong> If commuting makes people so unhappy, why do they take jobs or buy homes that will mean a long commute? Folks rely on their initial reaction — and, at first, the long commute may not seem so bad. \u00ab\u00a0People don’t think about how things will play out over time,\u00a0\u00bb says Cornell University economics professor Robert Frank.<\/p>\n Suppose you have the chance to take a higher-paying job that will leave you with less time for socializing. At first blush, that might strike you as a reasonable trade-off. But in all likelihood, you will quickly take the larger salary for granted.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, you’ll miss out on seeing friends and family, which surveys suggest are among our happiest times. \u00ab\u00a0Earlier on, I tended to sacrifice my family time to try and push research ahead,\u00a0\u00bb recalls Richard Easterlin, an economics professor at the University of Southern California. \u00ab\u00a0I do that much less now. Going out to dinner with family for me is always an enjoyable experience.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n \u2022 Buying memories.<\/strong> Some folks are inherently less happy and some more so, and this basic temperament seems to be remarkably enduring.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, you may be able to boost your level of happiness by thinking carefully about how you spend your time, says Princeton University economics professor Alan Krueger. On that score, try \u00ab\u00a0buying memorable experiences,\u00a0\u00bb he suggests.<\/p>\n As an example, Prof. Krueger cites taking his father to the 2001 Super Bowl, which pitted the New York Giants against the Baltimore Ravens. \u00ab\u00a0I got a lot of mileage out of that,\u00a0\u00bb he says. \u00ab\u00a0I had the anticipation of the game, as well as the game itself. I framed my ticket, which reminds me of the trip.\u00a0\u00bb Still, he adds, \u00ab\u00a0it would have been better had the Giants won.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n Limiting options. Having lots of choice might seem like a good thing. But in fact, it can lead to unhappiness.<\/p>\n Consider a study conducted by professors Jane Ebert and Daniel Gilbert. Participants were allowed to choose an art poster to take home. Some were told that, if they didn’t like the poster, they could exchange it for another. Others were told their decision was final.<\/p>\n \u00ab\u00a0Who was happiest with their choice?\u00a0\u00bb asks Prof. Gilbert of Harvard University. \u00ab\u00a0Those for whom the choice was irrevocable. When options are open, the mind generates debate. When options are closed, the mind generates satisfaction.\u00a0\u00bb
\nThis insight spurred Prof. Gilbert to limit his own choices. \u00ab\u00a0It made me realize that I ought to propose to my girlfriend,\u00a0\u00bb he says. \u00ab\u00a0Sure enough, now that she’s my wife, I’m happier.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"