Better busy than doing nothing, scientist proves

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 30 Jul 2010 | Stephen Adams

[LurkedLongEnough]

Keeping the mind occupied with tasks - no matter how meaningless - staves off negative emotions, the study found.

-snip-

Prof Hsee concluded keeping busy helped keep people happy.

He said the findings, reported in the journal Psychological Science, had policy implications.

"Governments may increase the happiness of idle citizens by having them build bridges that are actually useless", he proposed.

[Lonely Bull]

If anyone’s ever wondered why DU exists, here you go.

[dr_lew]

Keeping the mind occupied with tasks - no matter how meaningless - staves off negative emotions, the study found.

Boy, don't I know it. I'm a pioneer in this area.

[JoeProBono]

[Catmom]

Then why do so many people wanna be on the dole?

[mamelukesabre]

I thought that’s what beer was for?

[Intolerant in NJ]

"Governments may increase the happiness of idle citizens by having them build bridges that are actually useless", he proposed...or. they could let them keep the tax money that would have been spent on the useless projects so the people themselves could spend it on doing things they want like going bowling or buying a book to read.......

[B.Lyle]

Perhaps if they picked subjects who weren’t full of self hate they would be able to live with themselves rather than try to kill their self-loathing with meaningless activity? Just a thought.