The Impact of Internet Use on Happiness—An Analysis from the Perspective of Work-Life Boundary

Information technology is becoming more recognized by researchers as a major tool for improving well-being. Using data from the 2020 and 2022 China Family Panel Studies, this study examines the impact of internet use on happiness from the perspective of work-life boundaries. The findings of this study are as follows: (1) There is a significant positive correlation between internet use and the blurring of the work-life boundaries. (2) The blurring of the work-life boundary plays a negative mediating role between internet use and happiness. (3) Work flexibility further reinforces the role of the blurring of the work-life boundary in the relationship between internet use and happiness. This study contributes to the research on the relationship between internet use and well-being and provides evidence for understanding the impact of information technology on people's work-life boundaries.