Research shows that there is a correlation between income and happiness, but this relationship is complex and not straightforward. According to a study by Kahneman and Deaton (2010), happiness increases with income up to a certain point, after which the effect diminishes. This means that there is a threshold above which additional income does not significantly contribute to more happiness. On the other hand, research by Killingsworth (2021) indicates that happiness continues to increase with income, even at higher income levels. However, this effect is stronger among people who are already happier.

A joint reanalysis of these studies showed that the level of happiness mainly stabilizes among the least happy 20% of people. For the rest of the population, happiness continues to increase with higher income, and among the happiest people, this effect even accelerates. This means that the relationship between income and happiness is not the same for everyone and depends on how happy someone already is. The misinterpretation of earlier studies may partly be due to limitations in research methods and the way happiness was measured.

Money is not the only factor that contributes to happiness, but a higher income can help. It provides financial security, better healthcare, and more opportunities for relaxation and personal growth. However, the pursuit of more money can also lead to constant comparison with wealthier people, which can make you unhappy. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between financial goals and other sources of happiness, such as friendships and personal fulfillment.

Related:

• Take the time to think about, dream of, and look forward to future activities
• Do things that makes you happy everyday, since happy workers are 12% more productive

I rely on Kill the newsletter! to manage all my newsletter subscriptions, as I prefer reading them in my feed reader rather than my email app.

However, I’ve encountered an issue recently with Substack. They are not allowing me to subscribe using a kill-the-newsletter.com email address, stating that they cannot validate the email domain. This is quite disappointing. ☹️

I attempted to find information on how to validate an email domain on their support site, but there is no relevant information available. Even if there were, it wouldn’t make a difference since it’s not my domain.

Nevertheless, I still do not want those newsletters cluttering my email inbox, so I have decided not to subscribe for now…

Research shows that employees who work fewer hours experience less stress and are less likely to burn out. During a trial period, 39% of employees reported feeling less stressed, and 71% reported fewer burnout symptoms. Issues such as anxiety, fatigue, and sleep problems also decreased, while their mental and physical health improved. This indicates that shorter workweeks can be beneficial for employee well-being.

In terms of productivity, the results of shorter workweeks show that productivity does not always decline. In some cases, company revenues remained stable or even increased slightly, with an average increase of 1.4% during the trial period. Compared to previous years, companies saw an average revenue increase of 35%, indicating healthy growth despite the shorter workweek. Although employees work fewer hours in a four-day workweek, the better work-life balance and improved well-being can lead to a productivity increase of about 10%.

While the results are promising, there is still some criticism regarding the long-term impact on productivity. The trial periods were relatively short, and it is possible that the positive effects are partly due to work done before the trial. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that a four-day workweek could be a viable option for companies looking to improve employee well-being without significant negative impacts on productivity.

Related:

• The optimal amount of free time seems to be between 2 and 4 hours per day
• Our go-to approach for problem-solving is to incorporate something new, rather than eliminate something existing
• Professionals spend about 60% of their time on work about work
• Large organizations extinguish employees' passion
• The expectation that you check email outside of working hours can lead to health problems, relationship issues, and anxiety
• Hard work