What is time affluence?

Time affluence refers to the feeling of having an abundance of free time, as opposed to experiencing time famine, where there is a constant sense of not having enough time. This concept is discussed by Laurie Santos during an episode of The Knowledge Project. Time famine can evoke effects similar to physical starvation, activating our fight or flight response and negatively affecting our well-being. Santos mentions that feeling time-poor can be as detrimental to happiness as being unemployed. Feeling rushed and continuously stressed about the next task reduces the opportunities for social connections and being present in the moment. Counterintuitively, reducing activities and commitments can enhance our sense of time affluence and overall happiness 1.