Spend money on tasks you dislike that will save you time.
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TODAY'S TOPIC: HOW TO BUY HAPPINESS
THE SCIENCE
Money can buy happiness, as long as you use it wisely: People who spend money on time-saving purchases, like a house cleaner, report being happier overall compared to people who buy material things, according to a new study from Harvard Business School.
EXPERT INSIGHT
“Using funds to save time offsets the overwhelming feeling of having too many tasks to complete in a day,” explains Ashley Whillans, Ph.D., professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Further, “people should spend money in any way that would save them precious hours, and in particular, to buy themselves out of the most negative moments of their day on tasks that they dislike most,” notes Whillans.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Look at what items on your to-do list are the most aggravating or take up the biggest portion of your day. If you don't find the joy in cooking healthy meals, or in coming up with new workouts and tracking your own progress, you’d probably be happier spending money on a ready-made meal delivery service or on a personal trainer, and using that time to do something you otherwise wouldn't have been able to fit in. You'll boost your happiness simply by protecting yourself from the negative impact of stress, Whillans adds.