Giving Compass' Take:

• The Atlantic writes about a recently released research paper on the connection between happiness and the amount of leisure time you can give yourself. 

• How can papers like this unlock information or give important insights for our mental health programs in America? 

• Here's a Ted Talk discussing how to "buy" happiness. 

Up and down the economic ladder, many Americans who work—and especially those raising kids—are pressed for time, wishing they had more of it to devote to leisure activities (or even just sleeping). At the same time, research has indicated that people who are busy tend to be happier than those who are idle, whether their busyness is purposeful or not.

A research paper released late last year investigated this trade-off, attempting to pinpoint how much leisure time is best. Its authors examined the relationship between the amount of “discretionary time” people had—basically, how much time people spend awake and doing what they want—and how pleased they were with their lives. (Some examples of “discretionary” activities were watching TV, socializing, going to the movies, spending time with family, and doing nothing.)

Read the full article on how much leisure time do the happiest people have by Joe Pinsker at The Atlantic