It causes arguments in households the world over - that age old debate, whose turn is it to do the washing up?
這個問題由來已久并在全世界家庭引起爭執——這次輪到誰洗碗了？

And while the temptation to leave the dishes until the morning, piled high in your sink, is often hard to ignore at the end of a stressful day, scientists now believe the daily chore could be good for your health and wellbeing.
在充滿壓力的一天結束后，把水槽中摞得高高的碗盤留到第二天早晨再洗常常是難以忽略的誘惑。不過如今科學家相信日常的家務活有助于保持健康、提升幸福感。

A study has found that people who do the dishes mindfully, focusing on their actions carefully, feel less stressed and nervous.
一項研究發現，專心清洗餐具、認真關注自己行動的人較少感到壓力和緊張。

Scientists at Florida State University set out to discover if washing up could be used as an informal contemplative practise to promote mindfulness and improve emotional wellbeing.
佛羅里達州立大學（Florida State University）的科學家決定找出清洗餐具是否能作為一種非正式的冥想練習，提升專注力和情感健康。

They expected to find that people 'receiving mindful dishwashing instruction would evidence greater state of mindfulness, attention awareness and positive affect, as well as reduce negative affect and lead to over-estimations of time spent dish washing'.
他們希望找到證據，證明那些“接受了專心洗碗指令的人，不僅具備更強的專注力、意識注意和積極情緒，還能減少消極情緒，導致高估洗碗花費的時間。”

Mindfulness is described as being a state of active, open attention of the present time, according to Psychology Today.
根據Psychology Today所說，專注是一種對當下積極的、開放的關注狀態。

When a person achieves mindfulness they observe their thoughts and feelings from a distance without judging them as good or bad.
當一個人達到專注狀態，他們不用做出好惡評價，也能遵從自己的想法與情感。

Instead of letting your life pass you by, the practise encourages a person to live in the moment and relish their daily experiences.
這種練習助你活在當下，享受日常點滴的樂趣，而非渾渾度日。

To analyse the impact of washing the dishes, researchers at Florida State University recruited 51 students to engage in mindful dishwashing.
為了分析洗碗對人的影響，佛羅里達州立大學的研究者招募了51名學生來專心洗碗。

Just over half read a 230-word passage that highlighted the importance of the sensory experience of dishwashing, Fox News reported.
據福克斯新聞網（Fox News）報道，逾半數學生讀了一篇230字的文章，該文章強調了洗碗的感官體驗的重要性。

The remaining participants acted as controls, and read a similar-length passage about proper dishwashing techniques.
剩下的參與者作為實驗的對照組，讀了一篇長度相仿的、關于正確洗碗技巧的文章。

They were then asked to complete measures of mindfulness, affect and experiential recall.
隨后，他們被要求完成專注力、情感以及經驗性回憶的測量。

Those who performed mindful dishwashing were found to have achieved 'greater state mindfulness, increases in elements of positive affect, eg inspiration, decreases in nervousness and over-estimations of dishwashing time'.
結果發現，那些專心洗碗的人具有更強的專注力，積極情緒的因素（如靈感）有所增加，緊張感降低和洗碗用時被高估。

Feelings of nervousness decreased by 27 per cent in those who mindfully washed their dishes, while inspiration increased by 25 per cent in the same group.
那些專心洗碗的人緊張感降低了27％，而靈感提升25％。

Meanwhile there was no change among those in the control group.
另一方面，對照組成員均未發現任何改變。

The researchers said their findings could have implications for other daily activities.
調查者稱，其研究發現對其他日常活動也同樣適用。

They wrote: 'Implications for these findings are diverse and suggest that mindfulness as well as positive affect could be cultivated through intentionally engaging in a broad range of activities.'
他們寫道：“研究發現具有多種含意，它也顯示了通過有意識地參與廣泛的活動可以培養專注力和積極情緒。”

The study was published in the journal Mindfulness.
該研究發表于《Mindfulness》雜志。

Vocabulary

contemplative：沉思的，冥想的

over-estimations：高估

relish：喜愛，樂于

sensory：感官的

control：(科學實驗的)對照實驗，對照物

英文來源：每日郵報

譯者：張靚

審校&編輯：劉明