There are some things we know, on all logical, common-sense levels, that we shouldn’t be doing. At yet we continue to do them. Think: constantly leaving things to the last minute, despite knowing this causes us stress, or spending hours at night scrolling social media, or messaging the person you definitely shouldn’t message (you know the one).

Another example is working too hard, and yet this is a habit that can be trickier to break for one simple reason: our culture rewards this exact behaviour. So it’s handy to have a reminder that no, prioritising work above all else isn’t a healthy move, and that’s exactly what this new study delivers.

The study, led by Dr Paul Hanel at the University of Essex’s Department of Psychology, tracked the moods and wellbeing of 180 people over the course of nine days, asking them to fill in a diary. They found that people who prioritised work-based achievement over enjoyment were less happy. Those who aimed for ‘freedom’ reported a 13% increase in wellbeing (meaning they had better sleep quality and life satisfaction).

That all sounds quite lofty and idea-based, so let’s get into the practicalities. Essentially, we need to be making sure our time isn’t taken up only by work. Participants in the study who actively tried to relax or do non-work hobbies reported an average wellbeing boost of 8% and a drop of 10% in stress and anxiety. That’s only over the course of nine days, bear in mind, so you can imagine how good for us it could be to consistently value our downtime in the long term.

FYI: prioritising work over everything else isn’t good for your happiness