‘Time poverty’ at work linked to poor health, says study

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — A new study highlights the significant negative impacts of ‘time poverty’ on workers’ physical health, job satisfaction, and personal relationships. 

Time poverty, defined as the persistent feeling of having too much to do and not enough time, affects nearly half of Americans, according to research by Cassie Holmes, professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management.

“When we feel time poor, it makes us do less,” said Holmes in a TIME interview. 

“We’re less healthy… We spend less time exercising, we delay going to the doctor, we eat food that is fast but not healthy. It makes us less nice: When we feel busy, we’re less likely to slow down and help others out.”

The study found that time poverty lowers self-confidence and overall happiness, largely due to increased stress levels. It can be exacerbated by both paid work and unpaid labor like household duties and raising a family.

To combat time poverty, Holmes recommends that individuals prioritize activities aligned with their personal and professional goals. She also advises organizations to clarify the purpose behind work tasks and encourage employees to understand their underlying motivations.

“Managers and organizations can also do a much better job of identifying the purpose or the reason behind their work and their product,” Holmes noted. 

“On the team level, managers should be making the ‘why’ of a particular task very clear.”