Four out of five working adults report feeling like they have too much to do and not enough time to do it. Time-poor people experience less joy each day. They laugh less. They are less healthy, less productive, and are more likely to divorce. In one survey of 2.5 million Americans, time poverty produced a stronger negative effect on happiness than being unemployed. How can we escape time traps that keep us from being the employee, leader, partner, and human being that we strive to be?
In this talk, Ashley will share scientifically based strategies from my ongoing research for improving “time affluence.” These strategies can free up seconds, minutes, and hours that, over the long term, become weeks and months that can be reinvested in positive and productive activities.
She will also discuss the factors she has observed—based on research with leaders, consultants, and 30,000 global employees—that are making all of us “time poor” during the COVID19 pandemic and discuss strategies for building healthy habits, rituals, breaks, and boundaries to make this “forced experiment” in working from home more sustainable for everyone.
About
Ashley Whillans is an assistant professor in the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit at the Harvard Business School, where she teaches a course on Motivation and Incentives to MBAs and Executives. Her ongoing research investigates whether and how non-cash rewards, such as experiential and time-saving rewards, affect employee motivation and well-being. In 2015 and 2018, she was named a Rising Star of Behavioral Science by the International Behavioral Exchange and the Behavioral Science and Policy Association. In 2016, she co-founded the Department of Behavioral Science in the Policy, Innovation, and Engagement Division of the British Columbia Public Service. Her research has been published in numerous academic journals and popular media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. Her first book "Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time & Live a Happier Life" was published by Harvard Business Publishing on October 6, 2020 and is available on Amazon. Professor Whillans earned her BA, MA, and PhD in Social Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining HBS, she was a visiting scholar and guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Professor Whillans has also enjoyed an acting career, attending London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and appearing most notably in the 2007 comedy film Juno.