The above headline is based on a Harvard study of 2250 participants. The participants were from 83 counties, a wide range of occupations and ranged in age from 18 to 88. The research was aimed at determining to what degree these people’s brains wandered or was focused.

The results of these research endeavors concluded that “when people’s minds drifted from task to task or activity at hand, they reported being less happy than when they were fully engaged in whatever they were doing.” Matthew Killingsworth, the lead researcher, stated, “The human mind is uniquely capable of wandering – that is, to ponder things that have happened, to anticipate things that will happen and to plan for things that might happen.” This cognitive “wandering comes at a cost. … it tends to decrease rather than increase happiness.”

In his research Killingsworth found that participants spent nearly 47 percent of their waking hours with their mind in a wandering state. The one notable exception was sexual activity. Only 10 percent of people reported wandering thoughts while making love. Making love was one of 22 activities that participants could report on what they were doing and how focused they were while doing it.

Conclusions drawn were that “people reported being the happiest when making love, exercising or conversing. They were least happy when resting, working or using a home computer. Killingsworth adds that “being in the here and now is critical for happiness” – staying focused.

Psychologist Barbara Becker Holstein commented these words after reviewing the study: “Findings speak to the importance of doing things that provide a sense of purpose and meaning. Such activities make it easier to stay focused. … In order to feel a sense of well being, you need to feel you have purpose and meaning in life. That means you are containing the mind around certain projects and activities, and are forcing the mind not to be all over the place all day long.”

These finds and explanations fit with my own research. Personally I am conscious of training my mind to focus only on certain ideas, things, activities and persons. Where I focus my mind triggers certain chemicals in the limbic portion of my brain which brings forth positive energy which results in happiness. I assist people in my private practice to learn some of the techniques involved in doing this.

Heightened focus, enhanced awareness, of the mind while doing specific activities leads to greater happiness. When focused in such a manner a person is less likely to have the mind wandering into such feelings as anxiety and/or depression and thus inclined to go after unhealthy activities to try and self medicate this negative energized brain.

Bottom line: FOCUS. Where you focus your brain will have a great effect on your happiness.

Dr. Stathas can be reached at (706) 473-1780. E-mail: Stathas@plantationcable.net.