During periods of stress, the small pleasures of life would do us good for morale, according to an American study.
- “Mental health is a state of well-being that enables everyone to realize their potential, to cope with normal life difficulties, to work successfully and productively,” according to the WHO.
- It is determined by many factors: socio-economic, biological and environmental, including the working environment.
Treating yourself to a massage, having breakfast in bed, admiring the sunset… Treating yourself to these small pleasures, which give flavor to life, is not a priority for some. Yet these simple gestures can contribute to our happiness and well-being, especially when we are stressed, according to researchers from Cornell University in the United States.
“Whether it’s time, money or energy, many people feel more constrained than ever. A potential solution to this pervasive sense of constraint is indulging oneself with the a priori intention emotional well-being. But while this is a potentially powerful way to improve mood, do adults face the various constraints? Are they actually devoting time to their happiness? And If not, what is stopping them? American scientists said.
Know how indulging yourself affects happiness
To answer these questions, they conducted a study published in the journal Journal of Consumer Research. In this work, the team conducted a series of behavioral experiments, online and in a laboratory, over several years. The authors looked at the pressures of time, money and mental health, and how they can all cause us to forget to take care of ourselves.
In one experiment, they showed participants an advertisement for a fictitious product and measured their level of interest. For half of the adults, they added a slogan, which encouraged consuming the product with an intention based on happiness: “Make time for yourself” or “create a special moment”, for example. To find out if the message got through, the researchers asked volunteers to indulge themselves after seeing this ad to see how it affected their happiness.
When we are very stressed, “we can no longer enjoy the little pleasures”
According to the results, when participants felt more stressed by tight finances, hectic schedules or long to-do lists, they were less interested in the product promoted with the slogan. They bought fewer items and were less interested in trying them. When asked why, adults said they wouldn’t be able to really enjoy the experience.
According to the authors, volunteers who initially felt stressed were much happier and more relaxed after indulging themselves. They felt less stressed and less overwhelmed.
“When people are anxious, they think they won’t be able to focus on pleasing themselves and so they won’t take advantage of it, and so they don’t seize opportunities to treat themselves. gifts. This way of thinking goes against well-being. It’s when we feel the most stress that we can enjoy the little pleasures the most.”said Jacqueline Rifkin, author of the research, in a statement.
