Clock Conundrum

For those experiencing "time poverty," the race against the ticking hands is both a breathless sprint and an endless marathon. (And the oft-uttered expression "there aren't enough hours in the day!" carries so much weight.) Let's explore.

- By Aryelle Siclait

Much ink has been spilled on how we all have the same 24 hours in a day, the only difference being how we choose to use them. "Saying you don't have time is the adult version of saying your dog ate your homework," one quote widely shared on Facebook reads. Other posts remind us, "Yes, you're busy, we all are. Don't be a drama queen and just do it." The takeaway? Making the most of your time is how you get where you want to go. In this way of thinking, the key to unlocking the age-old dilemma is simply prioritisation.

Thing is, we don't all have the same amount of free time to begin with. Time, like money, is something certain people have more of than others. Every spare minute affords basic human rights and privileges, making excess hours a luxury and rendering a portion of the population "time-poor." To clarify, time poverty is the subjective experience of having too much to do and not enough time in the day to do it, says Dr Ashley Whillans, author of Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life.

You may experience this if you're consistently working late or if you have children. Add in washing, grocery shopping, paperwork and sundry emergencies and your already limited discretionary time can quickly dwindle to nothing.

A Woman’s Work