In an (almost) ideal world, we’d work eight hours a day (or less), spend quality time with our families, and pursue hobbies that fulfill us. However, many people holding office jobs will find themselves very often staying late -- whether to complete their workload, get ahead of it, or (increasingly often) to show commitment to their company. The latter might not make sense at first glance, but for many, the reality of the job market is that their position could be filled by someone willing to work more, and for a smaller salary. All of this creates an artificial scarcity of time -- artificial, because there is really no reason you shouldn’t have more free time than you already do.
However, this phenomenon actually fits perfectly into the current economic model throughout the world. All of a sudden, you can’t pick your kid up from school on time, so you pay for an extended stay, or even a nanny, and the latter tends to cost more than the former. No time to cook dinner? Buy a ready-made meal, at a significant markup compared to the cost of both the ingredients and the time and effort needed to make it. Can’t get on top of the laundry and house cleaning? Hire a cleaning agency! After all, it is better to spend what little free time you have with your loved ones instead of furiously scrubbing the stove.
But the artificial scarcity of time creates even more nefarious demands. The stress from working overtime, lack of sleep and meaningful downtime all create a new market for antidepressants, sleep aids, marital counseling, gym memberships, and (maybe most of all) alcohol -- all of which have their place in people’s lives even under less pressing circumstances, but probably not in the same amount. Sure, you may be helping the economy by injecting your hard-earned money back into it, but that favor is certainly not returned.
