Available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.Feeling constantly rushed isn’t only your problem - it’s a social issue.This book examines how societal norms, the disappearance of collective rhythms and constant connectivity create chronic time pressure. Combining international comparisons and sociological analyses, it explores how busyness affects physical and mental wellbeing, why mothers carry extra burdens and the challenges of remote work. Whether you’re seeking insight into modern life, gendered labour or strategies for reclaiming calm, this book illuminates how society shapes the way we experience time.
Tanja van der Lippe is Professor of Sociology at Utrecht University and Member of the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR).
1. Introduction: The Problem of Time Pressure 2. Collective or Individual Rhythm 3. The Norm of Busyness4. Mothers Are Busy Because the Revolution Is Incomplete at Home5. Online All the Time, Because We Can Be6. Segmenting or Integrating7. The Work from Home Dilemma8. Not Everyone Is Busy, or Wants to Be9. Time Pressure Scenarios: Four Potential Futures
'Tanja van der Lippe is one of the most innovative and original analysts of daily life, and this book should be required reading for all sociologists.' Jonathan Gershuny, UCL Social Research Institute