The Science of Happiness in retirement — seven lessons for success
Last updated on 13 March 2024
Key points:
- There are seven different rules for ruling your life in retirement
- Forcing yourself to smile is often thought to drive positivity, but there may be more that you can do to ensure long-term happiness
- The latest Australian Unity Well-being Index survey, conducted by Deakin University, found retirees reported their well-being at an average of more than 80 points — higher than non-retirees at 76 points
A new book, ‘The Science of Happiness: Seven Lessons for Living Well,’ was released on March 10, containing information from the University of Bristol’s ‘Science of Happiness’ course, launched in 2018.
Bruce Hood, senior author of a study on the course, revealed that routinely engaging in seven behaviours could lead to long-term happiness, based on students of the course and their reported ongoing wellness.
Students who took the course reported a 10 to 15 percent improvement in their well-being, but only those who continued to apply what they learned were still feeling their improved emotional health when surveyed two years later.
The seven lessons, according to the researcher and author of the new book, are:
- Alter your ego
- Avoid isolation
- Reject negative comparisons
- Become more optimistic
- Control your attention
- Connect with others
- Get out of your own head
“This study shows that just doing a course — be that at the gym, a meditation retreat or on an evidence-based happiness course like ours — is just the start: you must commit to using what you learn on a regular basis,” Professor Hood said.
“Much of what we teach revolves around positive psychology interventions that divert your attention away from yourself, by helping others, being with friends, gratitude or meditating.
“This is the opposite of the current ‘self-care’ doctrine, but countless studies have shown that getting out of our own heads helps gets us away from negative ruminations which can be the basis of so many mental health problems.”
For people on a limited budget, Australia’s cost-of-living crisis significantly impacts overall economic satisfaction and financial well-being. The AMP Financial Wellness Report 2022 found that 45 percent of Australian women are particularly concerned about how higher costs will affect their retirement lifestyle — a significant increase from 2020.
Similarly, it is women, single parents and pre-retirees who are more concerned about the damage inflation could do to their lives after work. Nearly 50 percent of 50 – 59-year-olds cited this concern, reflecting the perceived damage inflation can do to those who are close to retirement but who feel they haven’t saved enough to cope with rising costs.
Australia’s first well-being framework, the Measuring What Matters report, published in 2023, noted that there were 50 different indicators for overall well-being and although some had improved in recent years, others — particularly economic and mental health factors — had worsened.
The Australian Unity Well-being Index, a 22-year study into the well-being of Australians conducted in partnership with Deakin University, found that Australians’ satisfaction with the economy has hit a record low, with satisfaction scores significantly lower than during the Global Financial Crisis.
For retirees, many of the biggest issues — including isolation, perceived financial insecurity and depression — can be combatted by following the seven steps that are scientifically proven to make you happy. Planning can counter anxiety, connecting can counter loneliness and optimism can make each day happier in retirement.
To check out the book by Professor Hood, please visit Simon and Schuster or your local library for more information.
How do you get out of your own head and stay happy? Let the team at Your Retirement Living know and subscribe to the newsletter for more information, news and industry updates.
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