The United Nations process the annual World Happiness Report to understand what happiness is and how it affects our lives, cultures and economy. Australia is ranked under 12, Canada 15 and the United States is 16th and a popular destination for most South Africans, the United Kingdom is 17th. What makes Australians happier than South Africans?
The United Nations Survey compares six main variables, GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption. An average person spends 90 000 hours of their lifetime at work, that’s a third of our lives. Work has a major impact on our stress and happiness levels.
“Money can’t buy happiness. But neither can poverty.” = Leo Rosten
The average salary for Australians is a monthly whopping AUD7570, this converts to approximately R93 000 per month. Considering a family of 4 in Australia needs a minimum of AUD5448 to survive comfortably and a single person only needs AUD1533,4 a month. You can see there is space to save, invest and money to avoid financial constraints.
“The first wealth is Health.”- Ralph Wald Emerson
The average life expectancy in Australia is 83 years old, compared to South Africa where it is only 65 years. This says a lot! Physical and mental health is of utmost importance for Australians this is why they continue to increase the benefits of their world-renowned healthcare system, and it is free for permanent residents.
“ The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it.” – Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe.
Freedom to make your own choices and feel in control of your life and your surroundings is a major impact on your overall happiness. Freedom of speech, opinion, religion, association and movement is a basic right in most countries, however, in Australia, this is monitored and people are given freedom through safety. Australia is rated the third freest economy in the world!
The incredible benefits package of an Australian citizen opens an opportunity to experience true generosity. Generosity is given through time, appreciation, giving credit where its due and being rewarded. In Australia, the average yearly leave for full-time employment is 4 weeks per year, however, it is incredibly common for companies to give 5-6 weeks per year, now that is generous!
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Our perceptions of trust shape our happiness and who we integrate with. In Australia, there is a focus on a transparent and open government. In the global transparency indicator, Australia ranks 13 out of 180 countries with an overall score of 75% as the level of transparency. Ensuring trust in your work environment and being able to take responsibility is a capital factor in Australian culture.
Appealing and inspiring, well-done Australia for creating a happy society. At New World Immigration we support this, interested in a prosperous future? Enquire for a free assessment to see if you qualify for this opportunity