The Origins of Happiness

Chapter 4

asked how they felt in each episode, along twelve dimen-

sions that can be combined into a single index of good or

bad feeling.

The table shows what they liked most (sex), and what

they liked much less. Bottom, bar one, comes work. This is

of course an average over all the hours of work.

This finding has since been confirmed in many studies

of more representative samples including those in the US

government’s official American Time Use Survey.^19 Work

always comes very near to the bottom of the list.

Table 4.6. Happiness in different activities (sample of Texan women)

Activity Average happiness Average hours a day

Sex 4.7 0.2

Socializing 4.0 2.3

Relaxing 3.9 2.2

Praying/worshipping/
meditating

3.8 0.4

Eating 3.8 2.2

Exercising 3.8 0.2

Watching TV 3.6 2.2

Shopping 3.2 0.4

Preparing food 3.2 1.1

Talking on the phone 3.1 2.5

Taking care of my
children

3.0 1.1

Computer/e- mail/
Internet

3.0 1.9

Housework 3.0 1.1

Working 2.7 6.9

Commuting 2.6 1.6