#Enjoying short-term pleasures will make you happier in the end

Turns out, Bobby McFerrin’s 1988 words of wisdom, “Don’t worry, be happy,” are psychologically insightful advice.

Short-term pleasures contribute just as much to human happiness as does self-control requiring long-term goals, a study has found.

The researchers concluded that momentary pleasures should be given more appreciation and respect for how much they contribute to a contented life, according to the study, titled “Beyond Self-Control: Mechanisms of Hedonic Goal Pursuit and Its Relevance for Well-Being.” It was published Sunday in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

“It’s time for a rethink,” said co-author Katharina Bernecker of the University of Zurich, in a press release about her recent findings. “Of course, self-control is important, but research on self-regulation should pay just as much attention to hedonism, or short-term pleasure.”

The authors used a questionnaire to determine if some people are better at enjoying short-term pleasures and if they’re happier for it. They found that, indeed, enjoying the small things is more easily said than done — some people are much better at it than others, who quickly become distracted by intrusive thoughts while trying to enjoy more fleeting fun.

“For example, when lying on the couch you might keep thinking of the sport you are not doing,” said co-author Daniela Becker of the Netherlands’ Radboud University. “Those thoughts about conflicting long-term goals undermine the immediate need to relax.”

Those who can fully cherish brief moments of satisfaction tend to be happier in both the long- and short-term, the authors reported, and less likely to experience anxiety and depression.

“The pursuit of hedonic and long-term goals needn’t be in conflict with one another,” Bernecker said. “Our research shows that both are important and can complement each other in achieving well-being and good health. It is important to find the right balance in everyday life.”

Decades before Becker and Bernecker’s study, artist Andy Warhol argued a similar ideology in less scientific terms. In his 1975 book “The Philosophy of Andy Warhol,” the hard-partying artist explained how the most mundane, insignificant pleasures in his life were the ones which in fact brought him the most pleasure. It’s “the little times you don’t think are anything while they’re happening,” he argued, that are in the end the most important.

More recently, 23-year-old plus-sized model Erica Jean Schenk encouraged her 130,000 Instagram followers to adopt a similar mentality when approaching diet culture, arguing that they should prioritize feeling good over trying to lose weight.

“People always want to look like something they’re not. It’s all about feeling good within,” she told Jam Press. “It’s less about cutting carbs and cutting calories. It’s more about feeding your body, feeding your soul and being the best person that you can be.”