It causes arguments in households the world over - that age old debate, whose turn is it to do the washing up?

这个问题由来已久并在全世界家庭引起争执——这次轮到谁洗碗了？

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.

在充满压力的一天结束后，把水槽中摞得高高的碗盘留到第二天早晨再洗常常是难以忽略的诱惑。不过如今科学家相信日常的家务活有助于保持健康、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.

一项研究发现，专心清洗餐具、认真关注自己行动的人较少感到压力和紧张。

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.

佛罗里达州立大学（Florida State University）的科学家决定找出清洗餐具是否能作为一种非正式的冥想练习，提升专注力和情感健康。

They expected to find that people 'receiving mindful dishwashing instruction would evidence greater state of mindfulness, attention awareness¹ and positive affect, as well as reduce negative affect and lead to over-estimations of time spent dish washing'.

他们希望找到证据，证明那些“接受了专心洗碗指令的人，不仅具备更强的专注力、意识注意和积极情绪，还能减少消极情绪，导致高估洗碗花费的时间。”

Mindfulness is described as being a state of active, open attention of the present time, according to Psychology² Today.

根据Psychology Today所说，专注是一种对当下积极的、开放的关注状态。

When a person achieves mindfulness they observe their thoughts and feelings from a distance without judging them as good or bad.

当一个人达到专注状态，他们不用做出好恶评价，也能遵从自己的想法与情感。

Instead of letting your life pass you by, the practise encourages a person to live in the moment and relish³ their daily experiences.

这种练习助你活在当下，享受日常点滴的乐趣，而非浑浑度日。

To analyse the impact of washing the dishes, researchers at Florida State University recruited 51 students to engage in mindful dishwashing.

为了分析洗碗对人的影响，佛罗里达州立大学的研究者招募了51名学生来专心洗碗。

Just over half read a 230-word passage that highlighted the importance of the sensory⁴ experience of dishwashing, Fox News reported.

据福克斯新闻网（Fox News）报道，逾半数学生读了一篇230字的文章，该文章强调了洗碗的感官体验的重要性。

The remaining participants acted as controls, and read a similar-length passage about proper dishwashing techniques.

剩下的参与者作为实验的对照组，读了一篇长度相仿的、关于正确洗碗技巧的文章。

They were then asked to complete measures of mindfulness, affect and experiential recall.

随后，他们被要求完成专注力、情感以及经验性回忆的测量。

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'.

结果发现，那些专心洗碗的人具有更强的专注力，积极情绪的因素（如灵感）有所增加，紧张感降低和洗碗用时被高估。

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.

那些专心洗碗的人紧张感降低了27％，而灵感提升25％。

Meanwhile there was no change among those in the control group.

另一方面，对照组成员均未发现任何改变。

The researchers said their findings could have implications for other daily activities.

调查者称，其研究发现对其他日常活动也同样适用。

They wrote: 'Implications for these findings are diverse and suggest that mindfulness as well as positive affect could be cultivated through intentionally⁵ engaging in a broad range of activities.'

他们写道：“研究发现具有多种含意，它也显示了通过有意识地参与广泛的活动可以培养专注力和积极情绪。”

The study was published in the journal Mindfulness.

该研究发表于《Mindfulness》杂志。