Time and money are two of life's most scarce and valuable resources, writes professor Grant Donnelly of the Ohio State University in a recent HBR blogpost. Donnelly notes that the social events we get invited to, by friends and colleagues, usually require the investment of time, money or both, so these tend to be our "go-to" excuses when we can't make it to something. Donnelly studied how others perceive excuses related to lack of time versus lack of money.
As part of his research, Donelley surveyed brides and grooms about guests that declined their wedding invitation because they didn't have enough money or enough time. The couples reported that they felt less important to those on the invite list who cited limited time compared to those who mentioned scarcity of money.
Participants in the study found people who used a money excuse to be much more trustworthy than those who used a time excuse or no excuse at all. Most people believe that someone has more control over their time than the amount of money they have for discretionary spending. When you tell someone that you don't have time, you are saying that their offer or request is not a priority for you, and that response may generate ill will.
The lesson for DPHA members: In the workplace, if you don't believe you have the time to take on a new project, you may be able to soften the impact by stating that you don't have the energy to put anything new on your plate. According to Donnelly, people perceive energy to be less controllable than time.
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