If you ever feel the need to clock off early from work to go have fun, you can now tell your employers that it’s backed up by science.
A new study published in Health Economics Review, has shown you experience higher life satisfaction, the less hours you work.
Although not all of us can afford to work fewer hours, if there was ever an argument for employers adopting a four-day working week, here it is.
And in more good news, the study found that working less does positively affect your health – and improved health equals greater life satisfaction.
According to the study, social inclusion, social trust, feelings of safety and digitalisation also all play a factor in higher life satisfaction.
Having analysed 18,060 responses from 10 relevant surveys, researcher Qinglong Shao has many ideas as to why her findings show that working fewer hours correlates with higher life satisfaction.
She suggested that this may be because people enjoy working fewer hours in order to spend time with family as well as having time for other commitments and responsibilities outside their working lives.
Another theory from the researcher comes down to taxes – Shao explains that workers in European countries may enjoy working less as it means they have to give less of their income to the government.
But the big takeaway from Shao’s findings? “Regulations that limit hours worked and protect employees’ health should be enacted or strengthened.”