A growing body of psychological research is challenging the age-old idea that wealth directly equates to happiness, instead pointing to the profound benefits of prioritizing free time over financial gain. In a recent multi-study analysis published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and highlighted in a new report, researchers found that people who actively value their free time are significantly happier than those who prioritize money—even after controlling for various demographic factors. This insight holds particular resonance for Thai readers navigating a society deeply shaped by long working hours and rapidly changing notions of success (yourtango.com).
The crux of the study centered on over 4,600 participants pieced together from six related experiments, examining personal preferences between time and money across daily activities and life-defining choices. The split was nearly even: about half the participants leaned toward valuing time, while the other half prioritized money. Those who chose time consistently reported higher levels of life satisfaction and well-being, with older adults particularly likely to see time as their most precious resource.
For Thai society, where many urban workers grapple with packed schedules, high transportation costs, and ever-lengthening commutes in Bangkok and other major cities, this finding is both timely and thought-provoking. The nation’s high proportion of overtime workers—combined with a cultural emphasis on diligent saving for family and future—creates intense pressure to value income above personal downtime. According to Thailand’s National Statistical Office, the average Thai worker puts in over 42 hours each week, outpacing many regional neighbors (nso.go.th). However, this new research suggests that maximizing free time might offer a more reliable path to real happiness than just chasing higher paychecks.
Participants in the study were posed with scenarios highly relevant to real-world decision making: Would they prefer a more expensive apartment with a short commute, or a less costly one with a long daily journey? Would they choose a graduate program leading to high salaries but exhaustive hours, or settle for less pay and a lighter workload? Consistently, those who prioritized convenience and free time reported enjoying life more—regardless of income level.
Harvard Business School academic Dr. Ashley Whillans, lead researcher on the project, explained, “It appears that people have a stable preference for valuing their time over making money, and prioritizing time is associated with greater happiness.” She further emphasized that as people age, they are increasingly apt to see their time as limited and therefore more rewarding to protect. Dr. Whillans observed, “Having more free time is likely more important for happiness than making money. Even giving up a few hours of a paycheck to volunteer at a food bank may have more bang for your buck in making you feel happier.”
For younger people—including many in Thailand’s Gen Z and millennial cohorts—there remains a prevailing belief that sacrificing time early in one’s career will eventually yield an abundance of leisure. Dr. Whillans herself admitted that she made this classic mistake during her doctoral studies, rationalizing overwork with promises of future rewards. “We all need to make better decisions on the margins, so we don’t wake up one day… and ask, ‘What have I done?’” she reflected in her book, “Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life.”
This research resonates strongly in Thailand, where ‘sanook’—the pleasure of enjoying oneself—is a celebrated cultural value, often at odds with modern urban life. For decades, Thai society has prized hard work and financial achievement, with public servants, educators, and public health workers often measured by their willingness to take on extra hours and community responsibilities. Yet this new evidence suggests that a healthy work-life balance, and the ability to regularly disconnect from professional obligations, could be just as central to the “sabai” (well-being) that defines long-term Thai happiness (wikipedia.org - Thai culture).
Compounding matters, Thailand—like the U.S.—has a well-documented problem with unused vacation days. Data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and regional labor organizations report that a substantial percentage of workers do not take all their entitled leave, either due to workplace expectations or fear of losing income. This hesitation to claim rest time, according to Dr. Whillans, may be “our most egregious misuse of our time and the simplest way to increase our happiness.”
Bangkok-based mental health professionals echo this conclusion. Staff psychologists from the Ministry of Public Health have observed a steady rise in stress and burnout complaints, especially in urban centers where cost of living pushes many to pursue multiple jobs or long overtime. “We are seeing clients, even in their twenties and thirties, expressing regret that work dominates everything,” one counselor noted in a 2024 interview with a national health agency. “There is a growing awareness that missing family moments, relationships, and personal relaxation is too high a price.”
The study’s findings dovetail with broader global research: in a 2023 article published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, scientists found that leisure time not only eased anxiety but actively fostered creative thinking, stronger personal relationships, and improved physical health (Nature Human Behaviour). These outcomes are particularly significant in Thailand, where intergenerational family structures and strong community ties are seen as critical to quality of life.
Thai Buddhist philosophies further reinforce the value of present-moment awareness and purposeful living. The practice of mindfulness, long promoted by monastics and lay teachers alike, aligns with the call of modern positive psychologists to slow down and prioritize meaningful experiences over material accumulation. As one respected monk explained in a recent Dharma talk, “Wealth without time to reflect, enjoy family, and give back does not bring deep satisfaction.”
Looking to the future, the implications of this time-over-money research for Thailand are substantial. As the workforce ages and younger generations call for flexible schedules and remote work, employers may need to reconsider policies on overtime, paid leave, and commuting. Cities like Bangkok could see renewed debate over infrastructure investments to reduce travel times, and educational institutions may start counseling students not only on career paths but also on how to secure a balanced life.
While public policies can help, Dr. Whillans’s ultimate message is personal: take your vacation days, keep regular hours, and seek opportunities—volunteering, family meals, or solitary pastimes—that bring regular joy. For Thai readers, living “time-smart” might mean embracing sabai-sabai values in a new, intentional way, ensuring that both personal joy and social contribution remain priorities amid economic pressures.
In conclusion, the clearest path to happiness—across borders and generations—may be to treat time not as a commodity to be traded for money, but as life’s most finite and precious resource. For Thais balancing modern ambitions with cultural wisdom, the latest research shows: real well-being begins when we prioritize presence over paychecks.
For those seeking change, experts recommend immediately reassessing your work-life balance, scheduling regular downtime, and negotiating flexible hours where possible. If you are an employer, consider implementing policies that encourage workers to use their vacation and honor boundaries for out-of-office time. And if you’re a policymaker or community leader, support infrastructure and social programs that allow your constituents to reclaim their valuable hours. True happiness, as both science and sanook remind us, is often found not in the bank—but in the ways we choose to spend our days.
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