In a study participants were given a candy bar to either delivering a questionnaire that was a 15-minute walk away or delivering it just outside the room they were in but then needed to wait for 15 minutes to receive the reward. 68% of the participants chose to deliver the questionnaire just outside the room, but those who walked to deliver it reported higher on happiness scale than those who waited the 15 minutes. This experiment emphasis the fact that we prefer to take it easy but are happier when we work.
This certainly applies to me and I find that the days that I'm happiest are the days that I put in a full day of work even compared to days that I play all day. I feel better about myself and about what I have accomplished. The problem is that it is so hard for me to want to start to work, I would rather just play a game or be lazy. Another example of this is exercise. After exercising I feel much better, but it is so hard to actually start exercising.
I bring this up because of the characters in our books. They are hard wired to be lazy as well, but prefer to work (generally speaking of course). We need to write this into our characters bring out their reluctance to work and their desire to just sit around and be lazy. Of course if this happened too much we wouldn't have much of a book, but it would be fun to read about the hero taking a day off once in awhile :)
oh, I'd much rather walk than wait. Unless it was cold and rainy. Or just cold. Then I'd wait.
ReplyDeletei would rather make the walk for sure...waiting takes forever...smiles.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good reminder, and definitely true for me. I shall go do some work now. :)
ReplyDeleteI'd take the walk. I am a happier worker. The days I do a lot of writing, I'm happier, but a day off is nice once in a while. :)
ReplyDeleteIt is very hard for me to start as well, but once I do...life is much better! Great thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that we are happier when we have occupation. I know this for a fact because my computer was down at work today and I had nothing to do. Data entry does not work if you have nothing to enter the data into :( I was far from happy.
ReplyDeleteInteresting study. Yes, our characters and story may be boring if they suffered from this scenario.
ReplyDeleteTaking a day off here and there is a must but I agree - sitting idle and waiting does not make a happy person.
ReplyDeletethere is a distinct link between activity and positive attitudes. My wife has a gym and one of the things she teaches is that the best way to overcome depression is positive activity! Exercise! ;D
ReplyDeleteI have learned over the years that if I start feeling like my depression is coming back that I know to start exercising again. Even this morning I didn't want to get out of bed because I was comfy but I knew that my day would go better after heading to the gym. (I would like to think that I would have walked, but I probably would have just waited. I always carry a book in my purse and I probably would have just read while I waited.) I think it is a good reminder that there are just times that our characters will want to take the easy way.
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