SURVEY SAYS: Additional Time Needed in a Day

Last week, I asked NewsDash readers, “How many hours would you add to the 24-hour day to get everything you want or need to get done, and how would you spend those hours?”

Slightly more than 18% of responding readers said they needed 6 hours, while 16.4% said they needed none. Three hours was chosen by 16.4% of respondents; 14.5% selected 2; and 12.7% chose 4. Nine percent said they needed 5 extra hours, 7.3% need more than 6 and 5.4% just need 1.

Sleep was the activity for spending that extra time chosen by the majority (63.5%) of respondents, followed by spending time with family (36.5%) and reading and household chores (both tied at 30.8%). One-quarter of readers said they would spend that extra time on their hobby, and 21.1% each said they would spend time with friends and spend time volunteering or on special projects. More than one in ten readers (11.5%) said they would spend the extra time catching up on TV shows and movies, and 5.8% would work.

One-quarter of responding readers chose “other.” Many of those respondents said the extra hours would be just “me time.” Other responses included exercising, playing games, crafting and spending time with pets.

Among readers who left comments, quite a few said it is not an issue of needing more time in the day, but prioritizing what deserves or needs to be spent doing. Other readers suggested adding more time just wouldn’t work because others would just demand more, or as one reader said, “It is just like a raise, the more you have the more you spend, so I don’t think extra hours would work!” I have to give a shout out to the reader who said: “Tell my boss I need more time to read PLANSPONSOR and all the useful news!” Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who said: “Gee, if I didn’t have to work, the length of the day would be just perfect.” 

Verbatim 

I would probably add 6 hours. 2 for sleeping and 4 for hobbies and interests I don't get to explore, in part because there's not enough time in a day.

Time management has always been a personal challenge. All the electronic distractions don't help things.

I hope I wouldn't spend any more of this time working!!! Or commuting!

I would not add hours to the day. I would propose the calendar be changed to add a whole new day to give us an 8 day week. That would be a 3 day weekend every week?! The extra day would be a weekend day so that during the work week I would not have to worry about catching up on home activities and would still work the long hours without feeling as guilty.

I wouldn't add time for anything but sleep. I always seem to find the time to work, do chores, etc. it is sleep that loses out. If I had more time I'd only use it for sleep.

I'm fairly organized, so just one hour to devote to doing things that I would like to do, but just don't have enough time to do.

By the time I get home from work, exercise, cook dinner, and do the dishes I'm pooped! If I try to read, my eyes are closed within 2 minutes! I'd add more hours for sleeping so I can read.

This is, of course, a silly question because we are not adding more hours to a 24-hour day. But your list in question 2 could help people prioritize what's important enough to them to fit within the astronomically determined period we call a day.

If only I had the extra hours I would use it to sleep, but if everyone had them I would say no thanks. That would just mean that people would find 6 more hours of things for me to do each day and I can't imagine how tired I would be in that scenario.

I need to find another person to delegate to, that should free up some time!

Americans simply work too much, and employers feel entitled to too much of our time.

It is just like a raise, the more you have the more you spend, so I don't think extra hours would work!

I plan to expand my available hours in a day by retiring soon!

I work 10-12 hour days, commute at least 60 minutes most days and get about 5 hours of sleep a night. A little more time to sleep and relax would help immensely and then maybe I wouldn't be so crabby all the time!

Verbatim (cont.)  

I would like to do more to remove things from my daily life which may be considered unimportant and non-essential.

Are you insane? Adding more hours to the day means your boss just adds more to do.

It's not so much about adding in hours. What's more important is a firm partition between personal relax time and time for everything else.

I keep asking my wife for an 8th day that no one else knows about.

I don't think we necessary need more hours in a day. I just wish I didn't need to sleep 8 hours to be fully productive. I am currently studying for my CPA, so having any additional time to study and be productive vs. sleeping would be awesome.

Not sure it really would make a difference to add hours to the day. It's human nature (in the U.S. anyway) to work too many hours and not spend enough time with family!

Currently working 10+ hour day, leaving no time for volunteering, working out, etc. I keep saying I'll change my priorities, but work then piles up.

We need to slow down and enjoy life more instead of running from one thing to the next. Life is too short.

Tell my boss I need more time to read PLANSPONSOR and all the useful news!

Somehow we need to change expectations regarding just how much we need to get done in a day! Let's give ourselves and each other a break!

I don't need more hours in the day. I need more staff to help do the work!

Gee, if I didn't have to work, the length of the day would be just perfect.

If there were more hours in the day, they would probably be claimed for working. I spend enough time doing that already. If there aren't enough hours in the day, the answer is not to add more hours, but to reduce the things we are committed to. Less not more!

I wish that the extended hours would also include extended daylight.

Presently attempting to rid my life of those activities that have no meaning or purpose, such as useless meetings, Facebook, fluff work, etc. Have a good day.