We live in a time in which we are drowning in stuff. Stuff we often don't even really need. Delivery drivers wear themselves out every day carrying parcels from online shops. And we spend a lot of time choosing, ordering and maintaining all that stuff, assuming that it makes us happy. In the short term perhaps, but not in the long term.
People who rebel against this are called minimalists. They say they are happier by, ironically, having less, and that they have more free time left. Who wouldn't want that? Perhaps it is the solution for people who experience a lot of work stress.
Not more money, but more time makes you happy
Researchers led by Ashley Whillans looked at money, time and happiness in seven studies with more than 6,000 participants in total. People who spent money to buy time, for example by outsourcing household chores such as cleaning, shopping or cooking, were more satisfied with their lives. In an experiment, working adults felt happier after spending money on something that saved them time than after spending it on a material purchase. Whillans et al.
So it is not more money that makes you happier, but more time for the things you enjoy.
Do I really need this?
Besides household tasks, we also spend a lot of time buying things we don't need. So the next time you are in town or shopping online, ask yourself: do I really need this? And could I perhaps better invest this time in myself?
Do you really want to find out? Challenge yourself not to buy any things for a month. If you don't miss them after a month, you probably didn't really need them either.
Decluttering
Thanks to the minimalists, decluttering has become a popular verb. Start simply by getting rid of one thing every week that you think you don't need. Give it away to someone else or take it to the charity shop. That way you make someone else happy with it too. Guaranteed to earn you a few karma points!
Things are for a while, experiences are for ever
So things don't make you happier. What's more, they cost time, because many things need maintenance. Once you are rid of all that stuff, you have money and time left over. Spend it on things you enjoy. And no, don't buy new things. Invest in yourself by taking a course or going travelling. Nobody can take those experiences away from you. Research by Leaf Van Boven and Thomas Gilovich also shows that people become happier from purchases that give them an experience than from material purchases. Van Boven & Gilovich
By becoming a minimalist, you have more time, more money and more peace of mind. It is not so much about having more time, but about what you do with that time. And you certainly don't have to stop buying anything at all. Buy what you need, and if you really want something: go for quality, not quantity. Then you will enjoy it for longer.
By no longer worrying about stuff, you create peace of mind. Ideal if you experience a lot of work stress every day. You can use that calm to arrive at new insights or perform better at work. Give it a try!
Also read help, I'm too engaged!
