Work Hard, Play Safe

As consumers increasingly balance full work schedules, household demands and personal goals, they often experience both periods of extreme busyness and periods of ample free time. For instance, a crazy work week might give way to a free weekend. A hectic Monday might proceed a pretty regular Tuesday. 

How does experiencing periods of busyness affect the way people use their free time when it arises?  

Do people feel that because they couldn't do any fun or special things during the week, they should make sure to use their free time to have new and exciting experiences? After all, their time is more precious after a period of busyness. Or, do people choose to stick with mundane, familiar uses of their time? 

We find that people tend to gravitate towards familiar, ordinary activities following a period of busyness. This means they are unlikely to book tickets to events like shows and concerts, and are less likely to try new restaurants or leave home. This occurs not because of physical tiredness or a desire to relax, but out of a desire to restore control. Familiar things help people feel more in control of their time.

Our research suggests that busyness creates a psychological barrier towards having new, "extraordinary" experiences, even when there is time to do so. We continue to examine when this barrier is reduced, and if there are circumstances when busyness leads people to actually engage in more new experiences.