How Much Free Time Do You Need to Be Happy?
题材：心理类
出处：Psychology Today《今日心理学》
字数：639 words
[1] Imagine that you have woken up on the first day of a much-anticipated vacation. You enjoy a leisurely breakfast, take a stroll on the beach, and read the morning paper as you sip on coffee. Things are off to a great start, and you are feeling happy and relaxed—just like you predicted when booking the trip. By the time the late afternoon rolls around, you may start to feel downright bored!
【想象这样一个场景，你在期待已久的假期的第一天醒来。你悠闲地享用着早餐，在海滩上漫步，一边喝咖啡一边看晨报。一切都有了一个好的开始，此时你感到快乐和放松——就像你预定旅行时预想的那样。到了下午晚些时候，你可能会开始觉得非常无聊!】
【重点词汇】
vacation /vəˈkeɪʃn/ n. 假期
leisurely /ˈleʒəli/ adj. 不慌不忙的;慢悠悠的
stroll /strəʊl/ v./ n. 散步
sip /sɪp/ v. 小口喝
predict /prɪˈdɪkt/ v. 预言;预告
downright /ˈdaʊnraɪt/ adj. 彻头彻尾的;完全的
[2] If you have ever felt like this, you’re not alone. It turns out that having unlimited free time is not always as incredible as we expected. For instance, retirees fantasize about how happy they will be once they leave their job behind in exchange for unlimited cocktails and novels on the beach.
【如果你有过这种感觉，你并不孤单。事实证明，拥有无限的自由时间并不总是像我们想象中的那样不可思议。例如，退休人员幻想着，一旦他们离开工作，在海滩上享受无限的鸡尾酒和小说，他们将会多么快乐。】
【重点词汇】
unlimited /ʌnˈlɪmɪtɪd/ adj. 无限制的
incredible /ɪnˈkredəbl/ adj. 难以置信的
fantasize /ˈfæntəsaɪz/ v. 想象;幻想
cocktail /ˈkɒkteɪl/ n. 鸡尾酒
[3] Yet, the reality is that many who retire enjoy leisure at first but, only weeks later, realize they actually miss that job they left behind, which provided a sense of productivity, purpose, and meaning to their life. Full day after day of leisure can get old quickly. On the other hand, being busy with work and other productive obligations from sunrise to sunset can’t be good for our happiness either because of the stress.
【然而，现实情况是，许多退休的人会在一开始享受休闲时光，但仅仅几周后，他们就意识到他们实际上想念自己留下的工作，工作为他们的生活提供了一种生产力、目标和意义。整天日复一日的休闲生活会让人老得很快。另一方面，由于压力，从日出到日落忙于工作和其他生产性义务对我们的幸福也没有好处。】
【重点词汇】
leisure /ˈleʒə(r)/ n. 闲暇;空闲;休闲
left behind 留下;遗留
productivity /ˌprɒdʌkˈtɪvəti/ n. 生产率;生产效率
day after day日复一日
obligation /ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃn/ n. 义务;职责;责任
sunrise /ˈsʌnraɪz/ n. 日出
sunset /ˈsʌnset/ n. 日落;傍晚
[4] The tension between being too productive and too bored raises the question: What is the optimal amount of free time for our happiness?
【太高效的紧张感和太无聊之间的矛盾引出了一个问题：为了我们的幸福，最佳的空闲时间是多久?】
【重点词汇】
tension /ˈtenʃn/ n. 紧张;烦躁
productive /prəˈdʌktɪv/ adj. 有效益的;富有成效的
raise /reɪz/ v. 引起;导致;使出现
optimal /ˈɒptɪməl/ adj. 最佳的;最适宜的
[5] Researchers sought to answer this question by surveying tens of thousands of participants, collecting data on how they spent their time and how happy they were (Sharif, Mogilner & Hershfield 2021). The results from their study revealed three key takeaways:
【为了回答这个问题，研究人员对数万名参与者进行了调查，收集了他们如何度过时间以及他们有多快乐的数据(谢里夫，莫吉内尔&赫什菲尔德 2021年)。他们的研究结果揭示了三个关键的结论：】
【重点词汇】
seek to 试图干某事
tens of thousands of 成千上万;数以万计
reveal /rɪˈviːl/ v. 揭示;显示;透露
takeaway /ˈteɪkəweɪ/ n. 结论;要点
[6] 1. Having less than two hours of free time per day causes too much stress to be happy.
After looking at the data, the research team found that having less than two hours per day of free time was not enough to be happy. Participants with under two hours of discretionary time per day reported increased stress, meaning that they were simply too busy with work, errands, child care, or other matters to maximize their happiness.
【1. 每天少于两个小时的空闲时间会导致压力过大，无法获得快乐。
在查看数据后，研究小组发现，每天拥有少于两小时的空闲时间不足以让人快乐。每天自由支配时间不足两小时的参与者报告压力增加，这意味着他们只是忙于工作、差事、照顾孩子或其他事务，无法最大限度地提高他们的幸福感。】
【重点词汇】
less than少于;不到
discretionary /dɪˈskreʃənəri/ adj. 自由决定的
errand /ˈerənd/ n. 差事;跑腿
maximize /ˈmæksɪmaɪz/ v. 使增加到最大限度
[7] The fact that being too busy undercuts happiness is obvious, which might lead to the conclusion that more free time is simply better. However, that’s not what the research team found.
【太忙会降低幸福感这一事实是显而易见的，这可能会导致一种结论：更多的空闲时间就是更好。然而，研究小组的发现并非如此。】
【重点词汇】
undercut /ˌʌndəˈkʌt/ v. 削弱;使降低效力
obvious /ˈɒbviəs/ adj. 明显的;显然的;易理解的
【长难句分析】
The fact that being too busy undercuts happiness is obvious, which might lead to the conclusion that more free time is simply better.
主句：The fact is obvious
同位语从句1：that being too busy undercuts happiness
定语从句：which might lead to the conclusion
同位语从句2：that more free time is simply better
[8] 2. Having more than five hours of free time per day causes a lack of feeling productive, which reduces happiness.
Surprisingly, having a lot of free time is not a silver bullet for happiness. People derive a certain sense of joy from being productive and accomplishing tasks/goals, and this sense of joy is lost when we spend all day relaxing on the beach or watching Netflix at home. While there certainly is a time and place for spending an entire day relaxing, having a consistent abundance of leisure time undermines happiness due to boredom.
【2. 每天拥有超过五个小时的空闲时间会让人缺乏工作效率，从而降低幸福感。
令人惊讶的是，拥有大量的空闲时间并不是幸福的灵丹妙药。人们从高效工作和完成任务/目标中获得某种快乐感，当我们整天躺在海滩上放松或在家看Netflix时，这种快乐感就消失了。虽然花一整天放松的时间和地点肯定是有的，但由于无聊，拥有持续丰富的休闲时间会破坏幸福感。】
【重点词汇】
a lack of 缺乏;缺少
silver bullet 良方;高招
derive /dɪˈraɪv/ v. (从…中)得到，获得
undermine /ˌʌndəˈmaɪn/ v. 逐渐削弱
boredom /ˈbɔːdəm/ n. 厌烦;厌倦;无聊
[9] 3. How we spend our free time matters.
The final takeaway from the research was that two aspects were critical when it comes to how we spend our free time. First, when free time is used in more productive ways, like playing a team sport or volunteering, then five or more hours per day can maintain or even boost happiness. Second, free time spent socializing with others has a similar positive effect, whereas spending five or more hours of leisure time alone can stunt happiness.
【3. 我们如何度过空闲时间很重要。
这项研究的最后一个结论是，当涉及到我们如何度过空闲时间时，有两个方面是至关重要的。首先，当空闲时间被用于更有成效的方式，比如参加团队运动或做志愿者，那么每天5个小时或更多的时间就可以保持甚至提高幸福感。其次，与他人社交的空闲时间也有类似的积极效果，而独自度过五个小时或更长的休闲时间则会阻碍幸福感。】
【重点词汇】
volunteer /ˌvɒlənˈtɪə(r)/ v. 自愿做;义务做;无偿做
maintain /meɪnˈteɪn/ v. 维持;保持
boost /buːst/ v. 使增长;使兴旺
socialize /ˈsəʊʃəlaɪz/ v. 交往;交际
stunt /stʌnt/ v. 阻碍生长;妨碍发展;遏制
[10] Retirees who volunteer or join clubs are happier (Kelly & Ross 1989), and vacations with the right balance of stimulation (hiking, scuba diving, tours, etc.) and relaxation make us the happiest. Surprisingly, more is not always better when it comes to relaxation.
【做志愿者或加入俱乐部的退休人员更快乐(凯利&罗斯 1989年)，在刺激(徒步旅行、水肺潜水、旅游等)和放松之间取得适当平衡的假期使我们最快乐。令人惊讶的是，当涉及到放松时，并不总是越多越好。】
【重点词汇】
retiree /rɪˌtaɪəˈriː/ n. 退休人员;退休者
stimulation /ˌstɪmjuˈleɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 刺激;激励
scuba diving 水肺潜水
[11] You can consider this to be the Goldilocks principle of free time: two hours or less per day is too little, five hours or more per day is too much, and between two and five hours is just right.
【你可以把这看作是空闲时间的金发姑娘原则：每天两小时或更少是太少的，每天五小时或更多是太多的，两到五个小时之间是恰到好处。】
【重点词汇】
Goldilocks principle 金发姑娘原则(凡事都必须有度，不能超越极限)
just right 刚刚好;恰到好处
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