No one ever says “I have the PERFECT amount of free time”, you’re either wishing you had more, or complaining about being bored.  The bad news is:  You’re supposed to be in the middle, at that “perfect” amount.

In a new study, researchers say the “sweet spot” is a “moderate” amount of free time.  Too little makes people feel like they didn’t have enough time to relax and do what they want, and too much was associated with a sense of lacking productivity and purpose.

The study involved more than 35,000 people, and it featured a series of questionnaires, which connected free time with “subjective wellbeing.”

In general, people were happier with more free time, up to about 2 hours per day.  Then scores began to drop once free time exceeded 5 hours.  Unfortunately, they didn’t determine an optimal amount of free time.

The researchers suggest that people who feel like they have too little free time should find a couple of leisure hours.  And those with empty days should try doing something productive.

 

(Guardian)