I never have enough time

My encounters with clients experiencing stress about time inspired me to reflect on my own struggles with similar feelings. Additionally, listening to a podcast about time management encouraged me to think more critically about how time is spent. Consequently, this curiosity motivated me to explore research on time-related challenges and strategies for achieving healthier balance. Fortuanately, I ended up meeting Cassie Holmes, an inspiring researcher focusing on time poverty and the benefits of time affluence.

What is Time Poverty & How Does it Affect Our Lives?

Time poverty describes the overwhelming feeling of having excessive tasks but insufficient time, resulting in negative consequences for wellbeing. Additionally, research indicates women, parents, and employed individuals often report experiencing greater levels of time poverty compared to others. Consequently, time-poor individuals sacrifice exercise, healthy meals, and medical care, leading to poorer overall physical health outcomes. Furthermore, social and emotional impacts include reduced willingness to help, lower confidence, higher stress, and diminished goal achievement.

More Hours = Happier Life? Exploring the Link Between Time & Wellbeing

What’s interesting about Holmes is her question regarding happiness with additional discretionary hours daily. Additionally, she explored how time spent on leisure impacts wellbeing. Consequently, this included both active hobbies and passive relaxation alongside quality time with friends and family. Moreover, researchers examined the connection between discretionary time and overall life satisfaction. Ultimately, findings revealed that happiness depends less on hours available and more on meaningful engagement.

Too Little or Too Much? Finding Balance in How We Spend Time

This research analysed American Time Use Survey data, exploring how individuals allocate time across daily activities and routines. Findings revealed that people with minimal discretionary time reported lower happiness levels and decreased overall life satisfaction consistently. Surprisingly, those with five or more hours of discretionary time also reported similarly low life satisfaction. When individuals lack time, they often feel overwhelmed, stressed, and unable to manage responsibilities effectively. Conversely, having excessive free time can lead to reduced productivity and feelings of purposelessness. Moreover, individuals without fulfilling engagements may perceive inactivity as wasted time, lowering satisfaction further. Ultimately, balance in time allocation appears essential for maintaining happiness, productivity, and purpose in life.

Consistency & Prioritising Quality Over Quantity in How We Use Time

All this highlights that true fulfilment depends less on time available and more on choices we consistently make. Additionally, spending time on enriching hobbies enhances wellbeing while fostering creativity and long-term personal growth significantly. Moreover, engaging in sports or exercise supports physical health, resilience, and overall mental clarity effectively. Consequently, prioritising social activities strengthens connections, providing emotional support and boosting happiness in meaningful ways. Ultimately, consistency in valuing quality activities ensures balance, purpose, and greater life satisfaction overall.

Rate Your Activities

Holmes suggests a time-tracking exercise where we could track how we‘re spending our time and how we‘re feeling while performing those activities. This could help us determine what brings us the most joy and satisfaction – and she suggests doing it for two weeks. 

The Specific Meaning Here

It includes doing an activity – and when we complete/come close to completing it, we rate it on a 10-point scale depending on how positive it was. This would include how enjoyable it was, how satisfying, how meaningful it felt, etc. This would provide a good sense of what it is you‘re spending your time on – for example, you might notice you‘re spending more time than you‘d like on social media, and you might notice it‘s not very satisfying (5/10). That way, we can maybe choose to reallocate those hours to activities that feel more satisfying. 

Consistency in Choosing to Spend Time with Others

On average, activities linked with strong positive emotions usually involve meaningful social interactions that foster deeper human connections. Additionally, incorporating physical elements like touch or shared exercise enhances these experiences, boosting both emotional wellbeing and physical health. Meanwhile, activities such as commuting, repetitive housework, or unfulfilling work hours are associated with lower levels of happiness. Consequently, recognising which activities nurture positivity enables individuals to prioritise time for connection and avoid draining tasks. At the end, choosing consistency in spending time with others enriches relationships, strengthens wellbeing, and promotes lasting personal fulfilment.

Consistency & Learning to Appreciate Time’s True Value

Being aware of time’s value encourages individuals to prioritise meaningful activities that enhance overall life satisfaction. Recognising time as a limited resource motivates people to use it wisely and intentionally every single day. Appreciating moments fully allows individuals to focus on intrinsically rewarding experiences that support wellbeing and growth. Choosing meaningful tasks helps strengthen self-control, creating balance and reducing unnecessary stress throughout daily responsibilities. Understanding time’s worth also reinforces responsibility in deciding how hours and energy are invested. Valuing time nurtures consistency, building stronger habits and cultivating long-term personal and professional success. Ultimately, focusing on time management empowers individuals to live purposefully while maximising fulfilment and daily happiness.

Final Thoughts

To wrap things up, consistency empowers individuals to manage time wisely and achieve meaningful life goals. Additionally, practising consistent habits fosters stability and reduces daily stress. Consequently, valuing time encourages responsibility, balance, and healthier relationships with oneself and others. Furthermore, consistent routines create space for growth, productivity, and improved overall wellbeing. Importantly, embracing consistency supports purposeful living, allowing individuals to experience greater fulfilment and happiness.

Consistency: Written by Branka Mlinar

If you think that you can benefit from professional support on this issue you can reach out here.

Branka Mlinar is a psychologist and Gestalt therapist offering psychotherapy and counselling to adolescent and adult individuals. She’s mostly worked with problems of anxiety, interpersonal and relationship issues, procrastination, work-related stress, trauma, and grief.

References

Holmes, C. (2023). Happier Hour: How to Spend Your Time for a Better, More Meaningful Life. Random House.
Sharif, M., Mogilner, C., & Hershfield, H. (2018). The effects of being time poor and time rich on life satisfaction.Available at SSRN 3285436.