“Time famine” is defined as the feeling you get when you are starved for time, named so because of its psychological similarities with experiencing hunger.

Just as our bodies experience stress when we haven’t eaten, researchers have found evidence of stress on the body in time-famished people. One study even suggested that experiencing time famine had more of a negative impact on wellbeing than being unemployed.

“You can get a sense of this when you imagine having a full day of back-to-back meetings, a looming project deadline and a commitment to attend a social event, and your supervisor asks to schedule one-on-one time with you,” writes clinical professor Deana Goldin for Psychology Today.

The opposite, Goldin explains, is called “time affluence” – a state of mind where you feel “wealthy” in terms of free time. So how can we learn to feel like we have more time and gain it?

Feel like you’re always busy? Here’s how understanding “time famine” can help you make better use of your free time