I think that many people would be surprised to learn that scientists have developed a test to see how happy we are. They may be even more surprised to learn of the health impacts that we discuss at the end of this article.
At the end of the day, we are all seeking a degree of happiness. Happiness can be found through pleasurable activities, feeling a sense of excitement and through deeper, more meaningful experiences. So it can seem confusing to identify the best ways of experiencing it. Our level of happiness ultimately leads to our sense of contentment or fulfillment in life, so it is important at that we increase our understanding of our level of happiness and appreciate the factors that can induce this feeling for us.
To test your level of happiness you need to answer some simple questions. There are four statements below, for each one, choose the number on the scale that you feel is most appropriate in describing you. Write them down.
1. In general you consider yourself….
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not a very happy person A very happy person
2. Compared to most of my peers I consider myself….
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Less happy More happy
3. Some people are generally very happy. They enjoy life regardless of what is going on, getting the most out of everything. To what extent does this characterization describe you?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all A great deal
4. Some people are generally not very happy. Although they are not depressed, they never seem as happy as they might be. To what extent does this characterization describe you?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not at all A great deal
Take a minute and work out your test score by adding up the four numbers and dividing the result by 4.
My Happiness Index is .
The average score is around 4.8. If you scored above 5.5, you are in the top 25% of the population for your level of Enduring Happiness. If you scored below 3.5, you are in the bottom 25%. Now we can all have good days and bad days, but our overall perspective over time makes a difference. Let me tell you about some research into happiness that has been done.
Happiness Research
In the US during the 1930s, 180 nuns were about to take their final vows before being admitted to a convent of a teaching order. They were asked to write a letter to describe how they saw their lives at this moment of huge significance in their lives.
Sister Cecelia wrote: “God started my life off well by bestowing upon me grace of inestimable value… The past year which I spent as a candidate studying at Notre Dame has been a very happy one. Now I look forward with eager joy to receiving the Holy Habit of Our Lady and to a life of union with Love Divine”.
Whilst Sister Marguerite wrote: “I was born on September 26, 1909, the eldest of seven children, five girls and two boys…My candidate year was spent in the mother-house, teaching chemistry and second year Latin at Notre Dame Institute. With God’s grace, I intend to do my best for our Order, for the spread of religion and for personal sanctification.”
Over the last few years, researchers studied these nuns because they offered a fascinating profile. Here they had a group of people with enormous similarities in their lives. They had the same daily routine and beliefs. Their diets and exercise profiles were very similar. They had the same marital and sexual histories, and none of them had any children. They were in the same social and economic class, and had the same access to medical care. They were exposed to the same geography and climate.
The researchers looked at their health records and analysed the letters they wrote in different ways. They analysed them for degree of devoutness, how intellectually complex they were, how happy they seemed or unhappy, how forward looking they were.
In terms of their health, only their degree of happiness made a consistent difference. When they compared the happiest 25% with the least happy 25% they found that at age 85, 90% of the happy group were alive compared to 34% of the least happy. Nine years later the percentages were 54% and 11%. Other studies have shown the similar results.
Effect of happiness on life expectancy
Most happy 25% | Least happy 25% | |
At age 85 years | 90% still alive | 34% still alive |
At age 94 years | 54% still alive | 11% still alive |
What does this mean?
Those of you who scored 5.5 or higher on the test will, on average, live 9 years longer than those who scored less than 3.5 on the test. If you scored low, it is time for serious thought.
In comparison, we know that smoking reduces your life expectancy by about 8 years. Well the impact of less happiness on shortening your life is greater than the impact of smoking on shortening it.
You can help understand factors that are affecting your happiness through completing our Life Key Results Area assessment (request through our Contact page). This assessment helps you analyse how you are performing in the key areas of your life and how you prioritise them against your Self, Relationships and Career. It’s a great starting point for thinking about how you could change your life to achieve better balance and effectiveness in both your personal life and your business life.