Name: Want to be happier? Stay in the moment
Uploaded: 2012-11-05T16:09:56Z
Duration: 9 min 59 s
Description: When are humans most happy? To gather data on this question, Matt Killingsworth built an app, Track Your Happiness, that let people report their feelings in real time. Among the surprising results: We're often happiest when we're lost in the moment. And the flip side: The more our mind wanders, the less happy we can be.

When are humans most happy? To gather data on this question, Matt Killingsworth built an app, Track Your Happiness, that let people report their feelings in real time. Among the surprising results: We're often happiest when we're lost in the moment. And the flip side: The more our mind wanders, the less happy we can be. 

Want to be happier? Stay in the moment

Happiness depends less on wealth or status than on staying present in the moment. Real-time data from over 15,000 people across 80 countries revealed that when minds wander, people are significantly less happy, even during unpleasant tasks. Remarkably, minds drift nearly half the time, yet this tendency lowers well-being no matter the activity. The key to greater happiness may lie in fully engaging with the experience at hand.