評論
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People nowadays seem to have the sense that their time has become more limited that compared to earlier generations
如今人們似乎感到時間變得越來越有限。與早幾代人相比，
we spend more and more time working and have less and less free time to engage in leisure pursuits.
我們工作的時間越來越多，而休閑活動的自由時間卻越來越少。
But this premise turns out to be an illusion.
但這個假設(shè)事實上卻是錯誤的。
The most comprehensive data from Major Time Use Service suggests that if anything,
一項調(diào)查時間分配的調(diào)查的最全面的數(shù)據(jù)至少可以表明，
Americans today have more free time than earlier generations.
如今的美國人比早幾代的美國人擁有更多的閑暇時間。
The number of hours we work has not changed much, but we spend less time now on home tasks.
我們的工作時間并沒有發(fā)生多大的改變，不過我們在家庭任務(wù)上所花的時間卻有所減少。
So we have a greater amount of time for leisure than in decades past.
所以與過去的幾十年相比，如今我們擁有更多的閑暇時間。
So, why do we feel like time is so scarce?
那么，為什么我們還是覺得時間如此稀缺呢？
One problem is that our time has become more valuable.
其中一個原因是，我們的時間變得越來越寶貴了。
And as time becomes worth more money, we feel like we have less of it.
當(dāng)我們認(rèn)為時間更加值錢時，我們就會覺得時間愈發(fā)稀缺。
Workers who bill or get paid by the hour,
報道顯示，那些按小時付款或獲得傭金的工人，
think employers and fast-food workers report focusing more on pursuing more money than those who get paid a salary and the effect happens fast.
例如雇主和快餐店的員工，與那些獲得固定薪水的工人相比，他們會更關(guān)注于如何獲得更多的金錢，這種影響見效很快。
In one experiment, people were told to play the role of consultants
在一項實驗中，人們被要求扮演顧問的角色，
and bill their time at either nine dollars an hour or ninety dollars an hour.
并把時間成本定在9美元1小時或90美元1小時。
When people billed their time for ninety dollars an hour they reported feeling far more pressed for time.
當(dāng)人們把時間成本定在90美元1小時時，據(jù)報道他們感覺時間變得更加緊迫。
Thinking about our time as money changes our behavior as well.
“時間就是金錢”的想法也會使我們的行為發(fā)生改變。
In one study, people who were instructed to think about money before entering a cafe
在一項研究中，那些進咖啡店之前被要求考慮金錢的人，
spent less time chatting with the other patrons and more time working.
會花更少的時間與其他顧客進行交談，而會花更多的時間在工作上。
Those who are thinking about their time did the reverse,
那些考慮時間的人做法則截然相反，
spending time socializing instead of working.
他們會花更多的時間進行社交，而不是在工作上。
