Ashley Willans, a Harvard Business School professor and author of 'Time Smart,' joins to discuss the pervasive feeling of 'time famine' and its impacts on happiness. They reveal how our busy lives can strain mental health and relationships, and emphasize the importance of embracing time affluence over scarcity. Strategies for effective time management and the necessity of 'idling' for creativity and well-being are explored. Listeners are encouraged to rethink productivity norms and cherish well-deserved downtime.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Laurie's Busy Day
Dr. Laurie Santos describes her busy schedule as a professor, researcher, and podcaster.
She highlights her packed planner and a stressful experience with a delayed interview.
insights INSIGHT
The Value of Idleness
Modern society glorifies productivity, leading to overpacked schedules.
Embracing idleness can improve happiness, despite societal pressures.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Reject the Alarm Clock
Discard alarm clocks and embrace slower transitions from sleep to wake.
Reclaim control over your time, rejecting the tyranny of the clock.
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The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
Katy Milkman
In this ground-breaking book, Katy Milkman reveals a proven path to help readers move from where they are to where they want to be. Drawing on her original research and the work of her world-renowned scientific collaborators, Milkman shares strategic methods for identifying and overcoming common barriers to change, such as impulsivity, procrastination, and forgetfulness. The book offers innovative approaches like 'temptation bundling,' using timely reminders, and creating 'set-it-and-forget-it systems' to make change more achievable. It emphasizes the importance of tailoring solutions to specific roadblocks and using science to stack the deck in favor of successful change.
How to Be Idle
Tom Hodgkinson
In 'How to Be Idle', Tom Hodgkinson presents a charming argument for the benefits of slowing down and enjoying life's simple pleasures. The book is structured around 24 meditations, each representing an hour of the day, and explores themes such as sleep, work, and leisure. Hodgkinson critiques modern society's obsession with productivity and advocates for a more relaxed approach to living.
Time Smart
How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life
Ashley Whillans
This book addresses the issue of time poverty, where four out of five adults feel they have too much to do and not enough time. Author Ashley Whillans provides proven strategies for improving time management, including assessments, checklists, and activities to help readers make a mindset shift. The book highlights the negative effects of time stress on happiness, health, productivity, and relationships, and offers practical advice on outsourcing time-consuming tasks, managing technology, and making time-savvy decisions to enhance overall well-being.
'Time famine' is when you just don't feel you have a spare moment... and it can make you miserable. It's a feeling Dr Laurie Santos knows only too well, so she seeks help from her time affluence hero, Idler author Tom Hodgkinson.
Tom lives life to the full, but he ensures he carves out time to wander around, think, chat with friends and even take naps. He argues that 'idling' is vital to leading a happy, creative and productive existence. Is he right? And if so, what can we all do to break free from the tyranny of time?
For an even deeper dive into the research we talk about in the show visit happinesslab.fm