I haven’t linked to Barker in a while. Today’s study resonated with me:
We suggest that shifting focus from the impact of major life changes on well-being to the impact of seemingly minor repeated behaviors is crucial for understanding how best to improve well-being.
The specific examples investigated are church attendance and physical exercise. I don’t go to church, but the exercise thing makes sense.
My wife looks upon my physical exercise routine with a mixture of bemusement and mild irritation. I’ve had the tough guy cycle down pat for years now, so I spend about as much time rehabbing injuries as I do actually exercising and playing sports.
I am undaunted, however, and today Barker teaches me why. Exercise probably has health benefits over some long time horizon, but I don’t believe people people think in long time horizons. I do these things to achieve something small and distract me from the other parts of my life. Physical therapy works just as well as power cleans or soccer games.
Perhaps relatedly, my old man always said he loved playing squash and boxing because they forced you to be completely in the moment.
I agree with that, too.
Not Unreasonable 