Chronic time pressure as a predictor of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress

Despite advances in technology and labour-saving devices, chronic time pressure, or the sense that you do not have enough time, is increasing globally. The implications of this for health and wellbeing are poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the impact of chronic time pressure on experiences of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in a European sample.

A cross-sectional design was employed. A sample of 7,570 individuals, representative of the populations of the UK, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Czechia and Poland in terms of age and gender participated. Participants completed a questionnaire containing demographic questions, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 to measure symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress and the Chronic Time Pressure Inventory to measure feelings of harriedness and cognitive awareness of time shortage. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the predictive value of chronic time pressure on experiences of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.

Chronic time pressure was a significant predictor of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in all countries studied, accounting for between 5 and 24% of the variance in depression, anxiety and stress scores. Two factors of chronic time pressure differentially predicted symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Whilst feeling harried was universally associated with increased scores for depression, anxiety and stress, cognitive awareness of time shortage was not consistently predictive of depression, anxiety and stress.

Chronic time pressure is associated with reduced wellbeing. Feeling chronically harried is associated with increased experiences of the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. The results emphasize the need for governments, employers and healthcare providers to prioritise reducing time pressure as a mechanism of improving wellbeing.