Are rich people happier than other people?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There is a positive relationship between wealth and life satisfaction, according to a study in the Netherlands. But it is interesting that the experience of happiness enjoyed by the rich may stem largely from how they spend their time and not from the things they buy.

The richest people are the happiest statistically. And enjoying the lives of the wealthy is a pleasure full of guilt. As Don Tie says in a report published by the American media site, we love to hate them, browse their Instagram accounts and read what they buy, what they do, and where they go. At the heart of this curiosity lies the desire to find an answer to the question: Are they really happier than us?

Look at the lives of the rich
In the study published in the Journal of Social Psychology and Personality, the researchers surveyed more than 800 millionaires in the Netherlands along with a representative sample at the local level of about 1,200 people. They compared how the teams spent their time at work and in their daily activities, as well as overall satisfaction with their lives.

There are fewer differences than expected. For example, when it comes to daily activities, both teams spent the same amount of time cooking and shopping. But the rich spent less time in childcare and longer in housework.

Quality entertainment times
One of the main differences in the quality of recreation times in which these groups participated. Although the rich spent the same amount of time as anyone else in leisure, they used that time to do activities such as sports, hobbies and volunteering, as opposed to negative activities like watching TV, napping, and doing nothing for the other team.

Luxuries for everyone
The groups also differed in the way they worked. While the rich worked as much as the general population, they enjoyed more independence in their jobs.

The lesson of this experience is that when financial restrictions are abolished, people are attracted to active recreational activities and job independence.

Although money makes these goals more achievable, low-income people can integrate them into their lives by starting a business, spending time reading for underprivileged children, or implementing an innovative solution to a problem at work. These luxuries are not for the rich, so why not enjoy them now?

Collect work or pleasure
Those who "have everything" do not seek a life free of work and duties, but find ways to spend their time purposefully, whether at work or pleasure. They do it only in nicer homes.