Stress.

There aren't enough hours in the day. It's a lot worse than it used to be. And it's driving us nuts.

A few weeks back my wife Shelly was asked to give a brief talk at a UW conference explaining what economists know about time stress. Regular readers know that I take a broad view of how economics can help us understand the world, but what do economists have to say about stress?

Stress might seem better suited to study by a philosopher or a psychologist or a Buddhist monk. In fact, the conference included philosophers, etc., but Shelly filled me in on some recent economic research.

Two University of Texas economists, Dan Hamermesh and Jungmin Lee, have looked at data on time stress all around the world.

Here are the facts: If you ask people the question, "How often do you feel rushed or pressed for time?" higher income people complain more. And the higher income/greater stress link works even comparing people who work equal numbers of hours. This link holds around the world: in Germany, Australia, Korea and Canada, as well as here at home.

Here is the theory: Higher income means we can buy more stuff. Using stuff takes time, so the more stuff we can afford to buy the more we feel pressed for time in order to use the things we've bought.

It's not that more money makes us unhappy. The idea is that "things" become more abundant, but we're each granted a limited number of hours. So as income rises it's time that becomes relatively more scarce. It's this relative time shortage that's the source of stress.

Do you find this rings true? Are we more stressed nowadays because we need more time for our toys, or is it mostly just that we have less free time? We Washingtonians average about half an hour a week more at our main job than we did a decade ago.

My view -- decidedly non-scientific -- is that we've shifted how we spend our free time. Local recreation used to center on nature, family and friends. A hike in the hills is unstructured time that undoes stress. Today, we spend more time on activities that require preparation and on the kinds of formal recreation that require scheduling. Our leisure time just isn't as leisurely.

When I was a kid, summertime meant packing Oreos in a waxpaper bag and disappearing until dinner time.

Times have changed. I expect to always know where my girls are, mostly so that I won't worry. The snack in a wax paper bag has been replaced by a latte allowance. I think my summertime deal was better than the one my girls have.

This business of too much structure in our lives feeds on itself. My girls have busy schedules -- not to mention my wife's conferences -- so we all have to schedule time if we want to do something as a family. Hanging loose takes a lot of arranging nowadays.

Sitting alone and reading a book is sometimes the best way to relax. Usually though, off-duty time with friends and family is the best way to get the kinks out. Just trying to coordinate schedules adds to daily stress.

So I'm starting a campaign for us to each devote a little bit of our income to "cooperative unstressing." The next time you're in the store (no extra trips now!) buy a six pack of microbrew or a bottle of Washington wine. Then sometime in the next week have a neighbor over to sit outdoors and enjoy one of our glorious Washington summer evenings.

All of which leaves me just enough time to walk to work and get there in time for my next meeting.

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Dick Startz is Castor Professor of Economics and Davis Distinguished Scholar at the University of Washington. He can be reached at econcol@u.washington.edu.

Bellingham Herald -- July 18, 2004

Puget Sound Business Journal -- July 23, 2004