Is there anything more satisfying than seeing a meeting disappear from the calendar at work? The surprise of getting that time back from canceled plans - especially at work - can feel like a gift. Even if it’s just an hour, it feels like a win, and new research explains why.
In a new study, researchers from Ohio State University, the University of Toronto, and Peking University did a series of seven surveys with more than 23-hundred participants to look at how people experience free time. The team found that unexpected free time - which they call windfall time - actually feels longer. It turns out, getting time back alters our psychological perception of how time passes.
“An hour gained feels longer than 60 minutes, and that deviation from expectation creates a unique sense of opportunity,” explains lead study author Gabriela Tonietto. The research shows people typically choose longer activities and tasks when they get extra time than they otherwise would. Basically, that sense of having extra time makes more feel possible, so we want to make the most of it.
Source: Popular Science