Quality of Life, QOL? Standards?

(v2.0 / 2026.6.27 update)

Masa: I hear about QOL a lot, but what is it?

Emi: It stands for Quality of Life, and it's an indicator of how well you're living.

Masa: So just being alive isn't enough?

Emi: Yeah, like just lying in bed all day!

Masa: Hey! Are there any standards for it?

Emi: Masami!

Masami: Yes, yes! Did you call me?

📖 Masami's Explanation

1. Four Checkpoints
When the WHO measures QOL, they look at these four things: physical health, mental state, social relationships, and living environment.

2. The smaller the gap, the higher the satisfaction
But that's just the foundation. What really matters is the gap between what you want and how things actually are. The smaller that gap, the greater your satisfaction.

3. There is no perfect score
That's why there's no universal number for QOL. If the gap from your expectations is small, it's high; if it's large, it's low. What you seek changes based on culture and financial circumstances.

📚 References

• WHOQOL Group "WHOQOL: Measuring quality-of-life" (World Health Organization, 1997)

• Miyako Tasaki & Yoshifumi Nakane "WHOQOL as an Evaluation of Health-Related Quality of Life" (Behaviormetrika, 1998)

Masa: So it differs by country?

Emi: That's right. In Japan, 'peace of mind' is the biggest factor. Like trains arriving on time.

Masa: I guess that's because what's considered 'normal' varies by country...

Emi: Exactly, that 'normal' becomes the standard.

Masa: So it doesn't have to be about luxury.

Emi: For starters, Japan has a pretty good environment, doesn't it?
So, for example, finding something you were looking for is more than enough.

Masa: Like, being able to take a nap!

Emi: I knew it...

Masami: Your standards are way too low...

🖋 Masami's Afterword

When you hear 'QOL,' you tend to want to look for a 'better life.' But what really works is subtraction rather than addition.

Besides increasing the things you want, there's also the option of lowering the 'standard of what you want' itself. That's not giving up.

Expectations are, surprisingly, a variable you can adjust.
The train arriving on time, finding something you were looking for—whether or not you can pick up on those little 'that's nice' moments depends on where you set your standards.

Instead of increasing luxury, change what you're looking at. Try changing your standards. That, too, is a way to change your quality of life.