A data story using the Gross National Happiness Index data can give us important lessons about how to live our lives.

1. Time Balance & Happiness
happiness data stories you can
use to make decisions in your
life

2. Work-Life Balance
darker = more balanced
on average
lighter = less balanced
on average
A score of 100 would mean everybody feels
completely satisfied with their work-life
balance . A score of 0 would mean nobody
does.
Our average overall average is 48.3

3. Spending Time Doing Things You Enjoy
darker = spending more
time doing things one
enjoys.
lighter = spending less
time doing things one
enjoys.
A score of 100 would mean everybody feels
like they do things they enjoy all the time. A
score of 0 would mean nobody does.
Our average overall average is 44

4. Married people are slightly
better off when measure
satisfaction with life,
feeling loved, satisfaction
with work-life balance and
spending time doing
things we enjoy.
People in domestic
partnerships or have
never married or been in a
domestic partnership have
about the same time
balance and people who
are married or divorced
have about the same time
balance.
Overall, people in
committed relationships
are slightly better off.
Do single people have better time-balance?

5. Part-time workers have
the most work-life
balance, followed by
volunteers, Homemakers
and full-time workers
about tie on work-life
balance
Unemployed people do
things they enjoy more of
the time than others.
Overall, volunteers, part-
time workers and
homemakers are better off
when measure
satisfaction with life,
feeling loved, satisfaction
with work-life balance and
spending time doing
things we enjoy.
Do you have to quit your job regain time balance?

6. For all families, there is
little difference in time-
balance. The difference
shows up in feeling
loved, with people
living alone feeling less
loved.
Overall, families of two
are better off when
measure satisfaction
with life, feeling loved,
satisfaction with work-
life balance and
spending time doing
things we enjoy, but
only a little more than
families of 3-6.
People living alone or
in very large families
have the lowest scores.
Does having a big family mean you have no time?

7. satisfactionwithwork-lifebalance
spendingtimedoingthingsIenjoy
satisfactionwithwork-lifebalance
spendingtimedoingthingsIenjoy
satisfactionwithwork-lifebalance
spendingtimedoingthingsIenjoy
Do women have more
time balance than men?
No.
It’s about the same
(but men are slightly
better off).

8. The moral of the data
story is:
Nobody has time-
balance
(but if you do, tell us your story! info@happycounts.org).

9. Sick Leave Ordinances - The City
of San Francisco Administrative Code
Paid Sick Leave Ordinance provides sick
leave for workers and includes part time
and temp workers. In the City of Seattle,
council members passed Paid Sick Leave
and Paid Safe time ordinance 123698
that provides leave for illness, as well as
children and elder illness. It also provides
leave for domestic violence victims who
need time off to ensure their own safety.
example: http://sfgsa.org/index.aspx?page=419 & www.seattle.gov/civilrights/sickleave.htm
A time balance policy

10. Transportation System.
Copenhagen is famous for being bicycle
friendly, but metro, train, ferry, road and bus
system work together to provide one of the
most complete transportation systems. Up to
half commute are by bike, with city-provided
public bikes available. Most bike lanes are
separated from traffic or on greenways.
Regional trains connects suburban areas to the
city, trains serve the urban neighborhoods and
buses and an underground metro system serves
the city. The same ticket can be used for trains,
metro and buses.
A time balance policy

11. Pedestrianized streets. Downtown Burlington,
VT Church Street is pedestrian-only for four blocks. The streets
were converted in the 1980s and includes over 80 retail stores.
The street was resurfaced with brick, the addition of canopies
and shelters and bus stops at intersections. Construction did
not cause any business closures. Today, the area is vibrant
with festivals, street artists, café dining and shopping.
resource: http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets/a-to-z
A time balance policy

12. You are the Happiness Movement
Use the Gross National
Happiness index for your city

13. Your Happiness Counts.
happycounts.org
Counts Your Happiness.