Working 1 Day A Week Is All You Need To Boost Mental Well-Being

BOSTON (CBS) - Many people find their work fulfilling but how many hours do you really need to reap the mental health benefits? According to a new study from the University of Cambridge, not a lot.

Previous research has shown that paid employment not only brings financial security but also boosts self-esteem and provides social benefits.

So researchers set out to determine exactly how much work you need to do bring you happiness.

They studied 70,000 UK residents over nine years and found that when people went from unemployment or stay-at-home parenting to paid work of eight hours or less a week, their risk of mental health issues fell by 30-percent.

But working more than eight hours a week did not appear to bring any greater boost to mental well-being.