Chasing my Tail all Day: the Negative Impact of time Poverty on Meaning in Life and the Mediating Role of Construal Level

Experiencing meaning in life (MIL) is crucial for individuals’ well-being, yet it is frequently undermined by time poverty. The current research conducted eight studies (total valid N = 1,575) exploring the detrimental effects of time poverty on MIL and examining the mediating role of construal level, defined as the extent to which individuals construe events in abstract, “big-picture” terms versus concrete, detail-focused terms. The findings consistently reveal that time poverty impairs MIL by reducing individuals’ construal levels, shifting their thinking toward concrete processing. The lowered construal level not only decreases overall MIL (Studies 1 and 2a) but also inclines individuals towards engaging in less meaningful tasks (Studies 2b and 3a) and perceiving diminished meaning in their activities (Studies 3b and 3c), thus exacerbating the erosion of MIL. Furthermore, these effects can be moderated by individuals’ primary motivation type (Study 4), sense of power, and centrality of work (Study 5). Collectively, these findings deepen our understanding of the impact of time poverty on MIL and provide valuable insights for designing interventions aimed at helping individuals preserve MIL in the face of escalating time poverty in modern society.