I have coined the term variable hedonics to embody the value variety has in supporting our well-being. That variability is one of the primary levers we can play with to live happier lives. Although a significant degree of our happiness may indeed be predetermined by our genes and circumstances, there remains a significant proportion we can directly influence. By using variety as a tool to support our happiness, we can take an action-oriented approach towards manifesting more fun and joy in our lives.
So, although the adage that variety is the spice of life holds true, it begs the question: How much spice? In a study, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, Jordan Etkin, Ph.D. and Cassie Mogilner Holmes, Ph.D., found that a variety of activities do, in fact, make us happier—as long as we don’t overload our days.
Scheduled thoughtfully, variety is fun and rewarding, giving us a sense of fulfillment because it’s stimulating and helps us avoid boredom. However, when we try to jam too many things into tight windows of time (whether at work or play), the constant switching of tasks undermines our productivity, stresses us out, and leaves us with the negative feeling that we didn’t accomplish much. In Etkin’s own words, “although variety is the spice of life, it is not necessarily the spice of an hour.”
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