Too much free time may be almost as bad as too little Using excess discretionary time on productive activities can help bolster well-being

🎀 Highlights

“People often complain about being too busy and express wanting more time. But is more time actually linked to greater happiness?

while too little time is bad, having more time is not always better.”

data from 21,736 Americans who participated in the American Time Use Survey between 2012 and 2013.

The researchers found that as free time increased, so did well-being, but it leveled off

The researchers found that as free time increased, so did well-being, but it leveled off at about two hours and began to decline after five.

those with high levels of free time felt less productive than those in the moderate group, leading them to also have lower well-​being.

“Our findings suggest that ending up with entire days free to fill at one’s discretion may leave one similarly unhappy. People should instead strive for having a moderate amount of free time to spend how they want.

In cases when people do find themselves with excessive amounts of discretionary time, such as retirement or having left a job, our results suggest these individuals would benefit from spending their newfound time with purpose.”