Staying Busy has Positive Effects on Mental Health

Some occupations such as real estate will cause a person to be continuously on the go.  People in these occupations are constantly attending meetings, working with other people in different locations and meeting deadlines, etc.  These types of activities can be good for your mental health.  After all, too much free time may cause a person to be unhappy, feel lazy, and sluggish.  This is a result of study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.  However, you need to create a healthy balance of free time within your busy work-life.  No free time can cause a person to feel stressed.  Having an adequate amount of free time causes people to be happier when spent on productive activities, such as creating relationships with other people, working on projects, and exercising, etc. This free time needs to have a purpose for the individual.  Now for the next question, how much free time does a person need per day?  Researchers indicate between two and 5 hours per day.  Amount of free time recommended depends on the type of activities a person is doing.  If watching tv, more than 2 hours may cause ill effects, such as unhappiness.  If connecting with others and/or exercising, then 5 hours may be the sweet spot.