(Transcript from World News Australia Radio)
Australians are healthier, wealthier, and less stressed than a decade ago.
That's according to a survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Darren Mara, with this report prepared by Hannah Sinclair.
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The Bureau of Statistics survey looked at a number of key indicators over the past decade to measure the country's economic prosperity, and the way it has affected Australians.
The Measures of Australia's Progress report found the average Australian is now expected to pay less tax, is more likely to have a job, and earn more money.
Spokeswoman for the ABS Fiona Dowsley says there were very few areas where the country regressed.
"Overall our dashboard of indicators shows a more positive or stable picture than anything else. We've only regressed in the areas of our economy's resilience and sustaining the environment."
The ABS concludes that Australia's economic prosperity grew because net savings grew year-on-year for the majority of the period between 2002 and 2012.
Australians' annual disposable income grew by an average of around $11,000 to almost $52,000 per person.
However, Ms Dowsley says the resilience of Australia's economy has regressed.
"Overall our economy indicators has shown progress over the last ten years that we've looked at. The one that does show regress, a resilient economy, looks at our multifactor productivity. Which in simple terms the value of our inputs to the economy, so labour and capital, versus the value of our outputs in terms of goods and services. And that measure has found that the inputs have risen in value at a faster rate than our outputs."
The report also found the country has progressed in the areas of health, learning and knowledge, jobs, living standards and participation.
But in their daily lives, people have reported higher instances of feeling 'under pressure.'
Forty-five percent of people over the age of 15 felt "rushed" or "pressed for time"- a ten percent increase since 1997.
Psychologist with the Sydney-based Happiness Institute Rita Yong Gee believes modern technology is to blame.
"It is because I think our boundaries are starting to get a bit blurred now with our workplaces. And particularly now with technology we have our smartphones where we have access to email 24/7. So we no longer work 9-to-5 so we feel like we're on tap every second of the day."
But Australians did report lower levels of stress than in the early 2000s.
Rita Yong Gee says while people may be more connected to their workplaces, their employers are more concerned with mental health issues so people are likely to be happier.
"They're starting to implement even well being programs into their workplaces cause they're being more aware of their workers and their employees because they see that that can actually help with engagement and productivity."
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