From 2003 to 2019, US adults showed a slowdown in pace of life with activity variety and location switching declining and sleep duration increasing; the percentage always feeling rushed dropped from 31% in 2004 to 22% in 2016.
Observational (n=236,591)
Sí
Contrary to popular belief, objective and subjective measures indicate the pace of life in the U.S. has slightly decelerated rather than accelerated between 2003 and 2019.
Estimación del efecto: Activity variety decline tau = -0.32 (p < .01); Location switching decline tau = -0.55 (p < .01); Time consolidation increase tau = 0.21 (p = .04); Time spent sleeping increase tau = 0.38 (p < .01); Feeling always rushed decreased from 31% in 2004 to 22% in 2016
Tasa de eventos absoluta: 22% vs 31%
valor p: p=<0.01 for most trends
This study challenges the widespread assumption that the pace of life is accelerating, presenting evidence of a slowdown in the United States and some European countries in the twenty-first century. Study 1 analyses time-use data and reveals decreases in activity variety, location switching, and time fragmentation alongside increases in sleep duration in the United States from 2003 to 2019. Subjective perceptions follow the same trend, as the percentage of Americans feeling always rushed decreased from 31% in 2004 to 22% in 2016. Furthermore, Study 2 shows that, counterintuitively, internet access was associated with a slower pace of life. Finally, Study 3’s cross-national comparisons revealed varied trends, with some developed countries experiencing decreases in perceived work speed, while others saw increases. These findings suggest that technological advancements, rather than uniformly accelerating daily life, may provide individuals with greater time management efficiency. The study extends Hartmut Rosa’s social acceleration framework, highlighting the complex interplay between societal progress and individual time experiences.
Brad Aeon (Fri,) conducted a observational in General US population aged 15 years or older representative of US national demographics (n=236,591). From 2003 to 2019, US adults showed a slowdown in pace of life with activity variety and location switching declining and sleep duration increasing; the percentage always feeling rushed dropped from 31% in 2004 to 22% in 2016.