Being happy often means being engaged in either work or volunteer activities of some kind.
What makes us happy is a question many of us would like answered and the results of Australia’s largest survey into ‘happiness and its causes’ have recently been released – with a few surprises.
Interestingly, the survey found one of the things which makes a huge difference to your happiness is the kind of community you live in.
The survey is called the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey and has been carried out by Melbourne University for the past 13 years. Each year, approximately 17,000 Australians are interviewed on issues from housework and income to health and happiness.
This year it also turns out the happiest people are living in rural locations or towns of less than 1,000 people. The happiest people also have neighbours who help them out and their homes and gardens are in good condition.
Some of the happiest people live in Queensland. And one other important fact – the happiest people are not ‘retired’. Being happy usually means being engaged with the world. Not necessarily in traditional work but in meaningful roles like volunteer activities or active grandparenting for example. The report’s author, Associate Professor Roger Wilkins, explained this by saying: “We are designed to work. We need purpose.”
Living with a partner is good for the man but not the woman…
When it comes to relationships, each year the survey finds that living with a partner increases men’s health, but not women’s…. and on average, men are more satisfied with their partners than women. Some other findings in this area included:
- Men and women in de facto relationships are, on average, more satisfied with their partners.
- The longer the duration of the relationship, the lower the satisfaction (except after 20 or more years of marriage).
- Kids make us less happy in relationships.
Professor Wilkin explained some of these findings by saying: “Men get more of a kick, if you like, to their happiness from being married and they also tend to be more satisfied with their partner than women do – which is not to say that women get nothing out of relationships, but certainly not as much as men, it seems.
“And also in terms of their health too, there’s quite a significant health benefit it seems to marriage for men, but not women,” he added.
When it comes to family relationships…
The survey came up with some interesting findings about family relationships, for example:
- Children who moved out of the parental home at 21-24 years had an optimal outcome in terms of income and wealth in later adulthood. The situation is significantly worse for those who move out before the age of 18 and to a lesser extent 18-20 or over 25.
- Having an employed mother while a daughter is 14 years of age means she is more likely to have a higher income later in life, however, for a son this doesn’t make any difference.
Professor Wilkins added: “The HILDA Survey helps to shine a light on changing trends in the Australian community and economy.”
The HILDA Survey was initiated, and is funded, by the Australian Government through the Department of Social Services (DSS). Responsibility for the design and management of the survey rests with the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research (University of Melbourne).
The HILDA Survey collects information about economic and subjective well-being, labour market dynamics and family dynamics. For more information from the survey read here.
In the meantime, if you want get a piece of the happy pie and feel happy yourself, you can’t go past this fun video made by the residents and staff at the Diana Isaac Retirement Village in Christchurch.
