What is Technology is stealing your time in ways you don't even realize – here's what you can do about it

So we should have more free time. The time that is now spent sleeping, resting or doing nothing – right?

If the thought that you have more time than ever before is making you reach for coffee, you're not alone. There is growing evidence that digital technology can help us save some time, but we use that time to get more and more done.

We recently interviewed 300 people across Europe to understand how they use digital devices in daily life. This research showed that people want to avoid free time in their lives, so they complete tasks, some of which would not be possible without technology.

Whether it's waiting for the bus, waking up in the morning, or lying in bed at night, our participants reported that time that used to be "blank" is now filled with brain training apps, making lists of things What they should do or try to do. On their social media feeds and other life admins.

It seems that people's quiet moments of observing, imagining, and daydreaming are now filled with technology-based tasks

The rise in digital work is happening in part because technology appears to be changing our perception of free time. For many people, it's no longer enough to simply eat dinner, watch TV, or maybe take an exercise class.

Instead, in an effort to avoid wasting time, these activities are also performed while browsing the web in search of material for a more fulfilling life and trying to develop a sense of accomplishment.

At first glance, some of these tasks may seem like examples of technology saving us time. In theory, online banking should mean that I have more time as I no longer need to go to the bank on my lunch break. However, our research shows that this is not the case. Technology is contributing to a denser form of life.