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Ashley V. Whillans

Ashley V. Whillans

Assistant Professor of Business Administration

Assistant Professor of Business Administration

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Ashley Whillans is an assistant professor in the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit, teaching the Motivation and Incentives course to MBA students. Her research investigates whether and how intangible incentives, such as experiential and time-saving rewards, affect employee motivation and well-being. In both 2015 and 2018, she was named a Rising Star of Behavioral Science by the International Behavioral Exchange and the Behavioral Science and Policy Association. In 2016, she co-founded the Department of Behavioral Science in the Policy, Innovation, and Engagement Division of the British Columbia Public Service Agency. Her research has been published in top academic journals including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, Nature Human Behavior, and Science Advances and popular media outlets including Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Her first book "Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time & Live a Happier Life" was published in October 2020 by Harvard Business Publishing. Professor Whillans earned her BA, MA, and PhD in Social Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining HBS, she was a visiting scholar and guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Her dissertation research on time and happiness won the 2017 CAGS Distinguished Dissertation Award for being the single best PhD thesis in Canada across the fine arts, humanities, and social sciences.

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Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
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Ashley V. Whillans
Unit
Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
Contact Information
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Featured Work Publications Research Summary Awards & Honors

Books
Books

  • Whillans, Ashley V. Time Smart: Tools for Reclaiming Your Time and Living a Happier Life. Tool. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press, 2020. Electronic. View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press, 2020. View Details

Selected Publications
Selected Publications

  • Milkman, Katherine L., Linnea Gandhi, Mitesh S. Patel, Heather N. Graci, Dena M. Gromet, Hung Ho, Joseph S. Kay, Timothy W. Lee, Jake Rothschild, Jonathan E. Bogard, Ilana Brody, Christopher F. Chabris, Edward Chang, Gretchen B. Chapman, Jennifer E. Dannals, Noah J. Goldstein, Amir Goren, Hal Hershfield, Alex Hirsch, Jillian Hmurovic, Samantha Horn, Dean Karlan, Ariella S. Kristal, Cait Lamberton, Michael N. Meyer, Allison H. Oakes, Maurice E. Schweitzer, Maheen Shermohammed, Jaochim H. Talloen, Caleb Warren, Ashley Whillans, Kuldeep N. Yadav, Julian J. Zlatev, Ron Berman, Chalanda N. Evans, Rahul Ladhania, Jens Ludwig, Nina Mazar, Sendhil Mullainathan, Christopher K. Snider, Jann Spiess, Eli Tsukayama, Lyle Ungar, Christophe Van den Bulte, Kevin G. Volpp, and Angela L. Duckworth. "A 680,000-Person Megastudy of Nudges to Encourage Vaccination in Pharmacies." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119, no. 6 (February 8, 2022). View Details
  • Aknin, Lara B., Bernardo Andretti, Rafael Goldszmidt, John F. Helliwell, Anna Petherick, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Elizabeth W. Dunn, Daisy Fancourt, Elkhonon Goldberg, Sarah P. Jones, Ozge Karadag, Elie Karam, Richard Layard, Shekhar Saxena, Emily Thornton, Ashley Whillans, and Jamil Zaki. "Policy Stringency and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Analysis of Data from 15 Countries." Lancet Public Health 7, no. 5 (May 2022): e417–e426. View Details
  • Gonzalez, Antonya Marie, Lucia Macchia, and Ashley V. Whillans. "The Developmental Origins and Behavioral Consequences of Attributions for Inequality." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 101 (July 2022). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Colin West. "Alleviating Time Poverty Among the Working Poor: A Pre-Registered Longitudinal Field Experiment." Art. 719. Scientific Reports 12 (2022). View Details
  • Aknin, Lara, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Elizabeth Dunn, Daisy Fancourt, Elkhonon Goldberg, John Helliwell, Sarah P. Jones, Elie Karam, Richard Layard, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Andrew Rzepa, Shekhar Saxena, Emily Thornton, Tyler VanderWeele, Ashley V. Whillans, Jamil Zaki, Ozge Karadag Caman, and Yanis Ben Amour. "Mental Health During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review and Recommendations for Moving Forward." Perspectives on Psychological Science (forthcoming). (Pre-published online January 19, 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Jaewon Yoon, and Grant Donnelly. "People Overestimate the Self-Presentation Costs of Deadline Extension Requests." Art. 104253. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 98 (January 2022). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, Joseph Sherlock, Jessica Roberts, Shibeal O'Flaherty, Lyndsay Gavin, Holly Dykstra, and Michael Daly. "Nudging the Commute: Using Behaviorally-Informed Interventions to Promote Sustainable Transportation." Behavioral Science & Policy 7, no. 2 (2021): 27–49. View Details
  • Kniffin, Kevin M., Jayanth Narayanan, Frederik Anseel, John Antonakis, Susan Ashford, Arnold B. Bakker, Peter Bamberger, Hari Bapuji, Devasheesh P. Bhave, Virginia K. Choi, Stephanie Creary, Evangelia Demerouti, Francis J. Flynn, Michele J. Gelfand, Lindred Greer, Gary Johns, Selin Kesebir, Peter G. Klein, Sun Young Lee, Hakan Ozcelik, Jennifer Louise Petriglieri, Nancy Rothbard, Cort W. Rudolph, Jason D. Shaw, Nina Sirola, Connie R. Wanberg, Ashley V. Whillans, Michael P. Wilmot, and Mark van Vugt. "COVID-19 and the Workplace: Implications, Issues, and Insights for Future Research and Action." American Psychologist 76, no. 1 (January 2021): 63–77. View Details
  • Milkman, Katherine L., Dena Gromet, Hung Ho, Joseph S. Kay, Timothy W. Lee, Pepi Pandiloski, Yeji Park, Aneesh Rai, Max Bazerman, John Beshears, Lauri Bonacorsi, Colin Camerer, Edward Chang, Gretchen Chapman, Robert Cialdini, Hengchen Dai, Lauren Eskreis-Winkler, Ayelet Fishbach, James J. Gross, Samantha Horn, Alexa Hubbard, Steven J. Jones, Dean Karlan, Tim Kautz, Erika Kirgios, Joowon Klusowski, Ariella Kristal, Rahul Ladhania, Jens Ludwig, George Loewenstein, Barbara Mellers, Sendhil Mullainathan, Silvia Saccardo, Jann Spiess, Gaurav Suri, Joachim H. Talloen, Jamie Taxer, Yaacov Trope, Lyle Ungar, Kevin G. Volpp, Ashley Whillans, Jonathan Zinman, and Angela L. Duckworth. "Megastudies Improve the Impact of Applied Behavioural Science." Nature 600, no. 7889 (December 16, 2021): 478–483. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Jaewon Yoon, Aurora Turek, and Grant E. Donnelly. "Extension Request Avoidance Predicts Greater Time Stress Among Women." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 45 (November 9, 2021). (This article was featured as a “Research Highlight” in Nature in November, 2021.) View Details
  • Hur, Julia, Alice Lee-Yoon, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Are They Useful? The Effects of Performance Incentives on the Prioritization of Work Versus Personal Ties." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 165 (July 2021): 103–114. (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Yemiscigil, Ayse, Nattavudh Powdthavee, and Ashley V. Whillans. "The Effects of Retirement on Sense of Purpose in Life: Crisis or Opportunity?" Psychological Science 32, no. 11 (November 2021): 1856–1864. View Details
  • Collins, Hanne K., Ashley V. Whillans, and Leslie K. John. "Joy and Rigor in Behavioral Science." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 164 (May 2021): 179–191. View Details
  • Giurge, Laura M., Ashley V. Whillans, and Ayse Yemiscigil (shared authorship). "A Multicountry Perspective on Gender Differences in Time Use During COVID-19." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 12 (March 23, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Leslie Perlow, and Aurora Turek. "Experimenting During the Shift to Virtual Team Work: Learnings from How Teams Adapted Their Activities During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Information and Organization 31, no. 1 (March 2021). View Details
  • Macchia, Lucia, and A.V. Whillans. "Leisure Beliefs and the Subjective Well-being of Nations." Journal of Positive Psychology 16, no. 2 (2021): 198–206. (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Ward, D., L.E. Park, K. Naragon-Gainey, H. Jung, and A.V. Whillans. "Can't Buy Me Love (or Friendship): Social Consequences of Financially Contingent Self-Worth." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 46, no. 12 (December 2020): 1665–1681. View Details
  • Giurge, Laura, Ashley V. Whillans, and Colin West. "Why Time Poverty Matters for Individuals, Organisations, and Nations." Nature Human Behaviour 4, no. 10 (October 2020): 993–1003. (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Smeets, Paul, A.V. Whillans, Rene Bekkers, and Michael I. Norton. "Time Use and Happiness of Millionaires: Evidence from the Netherlands." Social Psychological & Personality Science 11, no. 3 (April 2020): 295–307. View Details
  • Dunn, Elizabeth, A.V. Whillans, Michael I. Norton, and Lara B. Aknin. "Prosocial Spending and Buying Time: Money as a Tool for Increasing Subjective Well-Being." Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 61 (2020). View Details
  • Kristal, Ariella S., A.V. Whillans, Max Bazerman, Francesca Gino, Lisa Shu, Nina Mazar, and Dan Ariely. "Signing at the Beginning vs at the End Does Not Decrease Dishonesty." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, no. 13 (March 31, 2020). View Details
  • Kristal, Ariella S., and A.V. Whillans. "What We Can Learn from Five Naturalistic Field Experiments That Failed to Shift Commuter Behaviour." Nature Human Behaviour 4, no. 2 (February 2020): 169–176. (This article was featured on the cover as the lead article.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Lara B. Aknin, Colin Ross, Lihan Chen, and Frances S. Chen. "Common Variants of the Oxytocin Receptor Gene Do Not Predict the Positive Mood Benefits of Prosocial Spending." Emotion 20, no. 5 (August 2020): 734–749. View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Lucia Macchia, and Elizabeth Dunn. "Valuing Time Over Money Predicts Happiness After a Major Life Transition: A Preregistered Longitudinal Study of Graduating Students." Science Advances 5, no. 9 (September 2019). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Agentic Appeals Increase Charitable Giving in an Affluent Sample of Donors." PLoS ONE 13, no. 12 (December 2018). View Details
  • Hofer, Marlise, Hanne Collins, Ashley V. Whillans, and Frances Chen. "Olfactory Cues from Romantic Partners and Strangers Moderate Women's Responses to Stress." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 114, no. 1 (January 2018): 1–9. (Lead Article.) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., C. Christie, S. Cheung, A.H. Jordan, and F.S. Chen. "From Misperception to Social Connection: Correlates and Consequences of Overestimating Others' Social Connectedness." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 43, no. 12 (December 2017): 1696–1711. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Elizabeth W. Dunn, Paul Smeets, Rene Bekkers, and Michael I. Norton. "Buying Time Promotes Happiness." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114, no. 32 (August 8, 2017). (Ranked in the top 100 most talked about articles across science in 2017 (Almetric).) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., E.M. Caruso, and E.W. Dunn. "Both Selfishness and Selflessness Start with the Self: How Wealth Shapes Responses to Charitable Appeals." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 70 (May 2017): 242–250. (This publication was featured as an "Editor's Choice" at Science in January, 2017.) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., S.C. Seider, R. Dwyer, L. Chen, S. Novick, K.J. Graminga, B.A. Mitchell, V. Savalei, S.S. Dickerson, and E.W. Dunn. "Does Volunteering Improve Well-being?" Comprehensive Results in Social Psychology 1, nos. 1-3 (2016): 35–50. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Nathan J. Wispinski, and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Seeing Wealth as a Responsibility Improves Attitudes Towards Taxation." Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 127 (July 2016): 146–154. View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., E.W. Dunn, G.M. Sandstrom, S.S. Dickerson, and K.M. Madden. "Is Spending Money on Others Good for Your Heart?" Health Psychology 35, no. 6 (June 2016): 574–580. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Aaron C. Weidman, and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Valuing Time Over Money Is Associated with Greater Happiness." Social Psychological & Personality Science 7, no. 3 (April 2016): 213–222. (Most read publication in SPPS in December & January, 2016. This publication was featured in the "Top 10 Insights from the Science of a Meaningful Life in 2016" by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Thinking About Time as Money Decreases Environmental Behavior." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 127 (March 2015): 44–52. View Details
  • Aknin, Lara B., Elizabeth W. Dunn, Ashley V. Whillans, Adam M. Grant, and Michael I. Norton. "Making a Difference Matters: Impact Unlocks the Emotional Benefits of Prosocial Spending." Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 88 (April 2013): 90–95. View Details

Selected Book Chapters & White Papers
Selected Book Chapters & White Papers

  • West, Colin, and Ashley Whillans. "Don't Waste Recipients' Time: How to Save and Give Time in Cash Transfer Programs." Chap. 8 in Using Cash Transfers to Build an Inclusive Society: A Behaviourally Informed Approach, edited by Jiaying Zhao, Saugato Datta, and Dilip Soman. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, forthcoming. View Details
  • Lee-Yoon, Alice, and A.V. Whillans. "Making Seconds Count: When Valuing Time Promotes Subjective Well-being." Current Opinion in Psychology 26 (April 2019): 54–57. View Details
  • Krekel, Christian, George Ward, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, and Council Members: J. Harter, A. Blankson, A. Clark, C. Cooper, J. Lim, P. Litchfield, J. Moss, M. I. Norton, A.V. Whillans, and D. Cooperrider, and D. Mendelwicz. "Employee Well-being, Productivity, and Firm Performance: Evidence and Case Studies." Chap. 5 in Global Happiness and Wellbeing Policy Report, by Global Council for Happiness and Wellbeing, 72–94. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2019. View Details
  • Aknin, Lara B., Ashley V. Whillans, Michael I. Norton, and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Happiness and Prosocial Behavior: An Evaluation of the Evidence." Chap. 4 in World Happiness Report, edited by John F. Helliwell, Richard Layard, and Jeffrey D. Sachs, 67–86. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2019. View Details
  • Mogilner, Cassie, A.V. Whillans, and Michael I. Norton. "Time, Money, and Subjective Wellbeing." In Handbook of Well-Being, edited by Ed Diener, Shigehiro Oishi, and Louis Tay. Noba Scholar Handbook Series. Salt Lake City: DEF Publishers, 2018. Electronic. View Details
  • De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel, and Council Members: A. Blankson, A. Clark, C. Cooper, H. James, C. Krekel, J. Lim, P. Litchfield, J. Moss, M. I. Norton, M. Rojas, G. Ward, and A.V. Whillans. "Work and Well-being: A Global Perspective." Chap. 5 in Global Happiness Policy Report, edited by Global Council for Happiness and Wellbeing, 74–127. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2018. Electronic. View Details

Selected Working Papers
Selected Working Papers

  • Ward, George, Hanne Collins, Michael I. Norton, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Work Values Shape the Relationship Between Stress and (Un)Happiness." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-044, September 2020. View Details
  • Blunden, Hayley, Jaewon Yoon, Ariella S. Kristal, and Ashley Whillans. "Soliciting Advice Rather Than Feedback Yields More Developmental, Critical, and Actionable Input." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 20-021, August 2019. (Revised April 2021.) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Jessie Pow, and Michael I. Norton. "Buying Time Promotes Relationship Satisfaction." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 18-072, January 2018. (Revised January 2020.) View Details

Cases and Teaching Materials
Cases and Teaching Materials

  • Hall, Brian J., Ashley V. Whillans, Davis Heniford, Dominika Randle, and Caroline Witten. "Innovation at Moog Inc." Harvard Business School Case 922-040, March 2022. (Revised April 2022.) View Details
  • Beshears, John, and Ashley Whillans. "A Behavioral Science Perspective on Motivation and Incentives." Harvard Business School Module Note 922-033, March 2022. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Jeff Polzer. "Applied: Using Behavioral Science to Debias Hiring." Harvard Business School Case 921-046, March 2021. (Revised September 2021.) (https://www.beapplied.com/.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Jeff Polzer. "Applied: Using Behavioral Science to Debias Hiring (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 921-047, March 2021. View Details
  • Hall, Brian, Lamar Pierce, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Maritz Automotive." Harvard Business School Case 920-052, March 2020. (Revised November 2020.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Lamar Pierce. "Maritz Automotive." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-044, January 2021. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Montgomery, Cynthia A., and Ashley V. Whillans. "France Télécom (A): A Challenging Restructuring." Harvard Business School Case 721-420, December 2020. (Revised June 2021.) View Details
  • Montgomery, Cynthia A., and Ashley V. Whillans. "France Télécom (B): A Wave of Staff Suicides." Harvard Business School Supplement 721-421, December 2020. View Details
  • Montgomery, Cynthia A., and Ashley V. Whillans. "France Télécom (C): An Unprecedented Trial." Harvard Business School Supplement 721-422, December 2020. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley. "France Télécom (A), (B), and (C)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 722-438, March 2022. (Revised April 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Shibeal O'Flaherty. "The What Works Centre: Using Behavioral Science to Improve Social Worker Well-being (A)." Harvard Business School Case 921-020, October 2020. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Shibeal O'Flaherty. "The What Works Centre: Using Behavioral Science to Improve Social Worker Well-being (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 921-022, October 2020. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V. "The What Works Centre: Using Behavioral Science to Improve Social Worker Well-being (A) and (B)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-021, January 2021. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and John Beshears. "Social Salary Setting at Spiber." Harvard Business School Case 920-050, June 2020. (Revised March 2020.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and John Beshears. "Social Salary Setting at Spiber." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-014, November 2020. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Liz Goldenberg. "To Prioritize Money or Time? The P-Mot Exercise (Student)." Harvard Business School Exercise 921-012, August 2020. (Revised October 2020.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Liz Goldenberg. "To Prioritize Money or Time? The P-Mot Exercise (Instructor)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-013, August 2020. (Revised October 2020.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Esel Çekin, and Alpana Thapar. "Ureed.com: The Marketplace for Language." Harvard Business School Case 920-038, January 2020. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V. "Ureed.com: The Marketplace for Language." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-028, January 2021. (Revised March 2022.) View Details

Selected Editorials
Selected Editorials

  • Whillans, A.V. "Go Ahead and Ask for More Time on That Deadline." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (December 10, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, Dave Feldman, and Damian Wisniewski. "The Psychology Behind Meeting Overload." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (November 12, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Grant Donnelly. "How Men and Women Treat Deadlines in the Workplace Differently." Wall Street Journal (October 30, 2021). View Details
  • Stein, Daniel, Nick Hobson, Jon M. Jachimowicz, and Ashley Whillans. "How Companies Can Improve Employee Engagement Right Now." Harvard Business Review (website) (October 13, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Charlotte Lockhart. "A Guide to Implementing the 4-Day Workweek: Working Less Can Reduce Employees' Stress—Without Sacrificing Productivity." Harvard Business Review (website) (September 28, 2021). View Details
  • O'Flaherty, Shibeal, Michael Sanders, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Research: A Little Recognition Can Provide a Big Morale Boost." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (March 29, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. "Which of These 6 Time Traps Is Eating Up All Your Time?" TED Ideas (November 4, 2020). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley. "Time Confetti and the Broken Promise of Leisure." Behavioral Scientist (October 7, 2020). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Emanuel de Bellis, Fabian Nindl, and Tobias Schlager. "Robots Save Us Time—But Do They Make Us Happier?" Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (October 5, 2020). View Details
  • Howe, Lauren C., Ashley V. Whillans, and Jochen I. Menges. "How to (Actually) Save Time When You're Working Remotely." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (August 24, 2020). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Annie Wilson, and Tobias Schlager. "It's Okay to Say 'No' to Social Events During COVID." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (August 6, 2020). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Laura M. Giurge, Lucia Macchia, and Ayse Yemiscigil. "Research: Why a COVID-19 World Feels Both Tiring and Hopeful for College Students." HBR Ascend (August 3, 2020). View Details
  • Donnelly, Grant, and A.V. Whillans. "In Giving Financial Gifts to Friends and Family, Some Ways Are Better Than Others." Wall Street Journal (May 1, 2020). (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Sandstrom, Gillian M., and A.V. Whillans. "Why You Miss Those Casual Friends So Much." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (April 22, 2020). (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Kristal, Ariella S., and A.V. Whillans. "Why It's So Hard to Change People's Commuting Behavior." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (December 24, 2019). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Charlotte Blank, Laura M. Giurge, and Laurel Newman. "Getting Your Team to Do More Than Meet Deadlines." Harvard Business Review (website) (November 15, 2019). (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. "Are New Graduates Happier Making More Money or Having More Time?" Harvard Business Review (website) (July 25, 2019). View Details
  • Williams, Allison L., Acacia C. Parks, and Ashley Whillans. "Can Online Tools Help Employees Build Resilience?" Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (April 24, 2019). View Details
  • Yoon, Jaewon, A.V. Whillans, and Grant Donnelly. "Why We Don't Ask for More Time on Deadlines (But Probably Should)." Harvard Business Review (website) (April 4, 2019). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. "Time for Happiness: Why the Pursuit of Money Isn't Bringing You Joy—and What Will." Special Issue on HBR Big Idea: Time Poor and Unhappy. Harvard Business Review (website) (January 29, 2019). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Michael I. Norton, and Cassie Mogilner Holmes. "The Scientifically Proven Best Ways to Spend Time if You Want to Be Happy." Quartz at Work (February 13, 2018). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Elizabeth Dunn. "To Promote Happiness, Choose Time Over Money." Behavioral Scientist (November 14, 2017). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Elizabeth Dunn, and Eugene Caruso. "How to Get the Wealthy to Donate." New York Times (May 12, 2017). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Michael I. Norton. "If You Want to Feel Better, Spend Money on Saving Time." Wall Street Journal (online) (September 11, 2017). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Elizabeth Dunn. "Want to Be Happier? Buy Yourself More Free Time." Los Angeles Times (July 26, 2017). View Details
  • Dunn, Elizabeth, and A.V. Whillans. "Give, If You Know What's Good for You." New York Times (December 24, 2015). View Details

Practitioner Papers
Practitioner Papers

  • Aknin, Lara B., and Ashley V. Whillans. "Helping and Happiness: A Review and Guide for Public Policy." Social Issues and Policy Review 15 (2021): 3–34. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley. "The Start of Time Smart Leadership." Leader to Leader 99 (Winter 2021): 64–69. View Details
  • Landry, Anais Thibault, and A.V. Whillans. "The Power of Workplace Rewards: Using Self-Determination Theory to Understand Why Reward Satisfaction Matters for Workers Around the World." Compensation & Benefits Review 50, no. 3 (June 2018): 123–148. View Details
  • Thibault-Landry, Anais, Allan Schweyer, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Winning the War for Talent: Modern Motivational Methods for Attracting and Retaining Employees." Compensation & Benefits Review 49, no. 4 (September 2017): 230–246. View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. "A Brief Introduction to the Science of Fundraising." White Paper, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Washington, DC, May 2016. View Details
All Publications

Ashley Whillans is an assistant professor in the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit, teaching the Motivation and Incentives course to MBA students. Her research investigates whether and how intangible incentives, such as experiential and time-saving rewards, affect employee motivation and well-being. In both 2015 and 2018, she was named a Rising Star of Behavioral Science by the International Behavioral Exchange and the Behavioral Science and Policy Association. In 2016, she co-founded the Department of Behavioral Science in the Policy, Innovation, and Engagement Division of the British Columbia Public Service Agency. Her research has been published in top academic journals including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, Nature Human Behavior, and Science Advances and popular media outlets including Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Her first book "Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time & Live a Happier Life" was published in October 2020 by Harvard Business Publishing. Professor Whillans earned her BA, MA, and PhD in Social Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining HBS, she was a visiting scholar and guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Her dissertation research on time and happiness won the 2017 CAGS Distinguished Dissertation Award for being the single best PhD thesis in Canada across the fine arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Featured Work
Time Smart
How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life

There's an 80 percent chance you're poor. Time poor, that is.

Four out of five adults report feeling that they have too much to do and not enough time to do it. These time-poor people experience less joy each day. They laugh less. They are less healthy, less productive, and more likely to divorce. In one study, time stress produced a stronger negative effect on happiness than unemployment.

How can we escape the time traps that make us feel this way and keep us from living our best lives?

Time Smart is your playbook for taking back the time you lose to mindless tasks and unfulfilling chores. Author and Harvard Business School professor Ashley Whillans will give you proven strategies for improving your "time affluence." The techniques Whillans provides will free up seconds, minutes, and hours that, over the long term, become weeks and months that you can reinvest in positive, healthy activities.

Time Smart doesn't stop at telling you what to do. It also shows you how to do it, helping you achieve the mindset shift that will make these activities part of your everyday regimen through assessments, checklists, and activities you can use right away. The strategies Whillans presents will help you make the shift to time-smart living and, in the process, build a happier, more fulfilling life.

3 Rules for Better Work-Life Balance
Have you answered a work email during an important family event? Or taken a call from your boss while on vacation? According to behavioral scientist and Harvard Business School professor Ashley Whillans, "always-on" work culture is not only ruining our personal well-being -- but our work, as well. She shares which bad habits are stopping us from getting what we need out of our free time and three practical steps for setting boundaries that stick.
TEDx Talk
A Simple Strategy For Happiness
People feel more pressed for time than ever before. This is because we prioritize earning more money over gaining more time. Ashley Whillans, Assistant Professor at the Harvard Business School, shares simple strategies to overcome time poverty and experience more fulfilling social relationships and satisfying careers.
How Bonuses Get Employees to Choose Work Over Family
Working late again? Research shows how incentive pay encourages workers to think of downtime as wasted time. Prioritizing professional relationships over personal ones in pursuit of higher pay has the potential to lay the groundwork for an overworked, unhappy existence, according to research by Ashley Whillans, an assistant professor in Harvard Business School’s Negotiation, Organizations, and Markets Unit.
How a Company Made Employees So Miserable, They Killed Themselves
Aggressive downsizing at France Télécom culminated in 19 employee suicides. Case studies by Cynthia Montgomery and Ashley Whillans show how mistreating workers can have deadly consequences.
6 Ways to Support COVID-Weary Employees
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the workplace with no end in sight, leaving business leaders to struggle with a wide variety of challenges, including keeping staff members happily engaged—and employed. Ashley Whillans and colleagues offer managers solutions to ease the stress many employees are experiencing in the new workplace
Books
  • Whillans, Ashley V. Time Smart: Tools for Reclaiming Your Time and Living a Happier Life. Tool. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press, 2020. Electronic. View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press, 2020. View Details
Selected Publications
  • Milkman, Katherine L., Linnea Gandhi, Mitesh S. Patel, Heather N. Graci, Dena M. Gromet, Hung Ho, Joseph S. Kay, Timothy W. Lee, Jake Rothschild, Jonathan E. Bogard, Ilana Brody, Christopher F. Chabris, Edward Chang, Gretchen B. Chapman, Jennifer E. Dannals, Noah J. Goldstein, Amir Goren, Hal Hershfield, Alex Hirsch, Jillian Hmurovic, Samantha Horn, Dean Karlan, Ariella S. Kristal, Cait Lamberton, Michael N. Meyer, Allison H. Oakes, Maurice E. Schweitzer, Maheen Shermohammed, Jaochim H. Talloen, Caleb Warren, Ashley Whillans, Kuldeep N. Yadav, Julian J. Zlatev, Ron Berman, Chalanda N. Evans, Rahul Ladhania, Jens Ludwig, Nina Mazar, Sendhil Mullainathan, Christopher K. Snider, Jann Spiess, Eli Tsukayama, Lyle Ungar, Christophe Van den Bulte, Kevin G. Volpp, and Angela L. Duckworth. "A 680,000-Person Megastudy of Nudges to Encourage Vaccination in Pharmacies." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119, no. 6 (February 8, 2022). View Details
  • Aknin, Lara B., Bernardo Andretti, Rafael Goldszmidt, John F. Helliwell, Anna Petherick, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Elizabeth W. Dunn, Daisy Fancourt, Elkhonon Goldberg, Sarah P. Jones, Ozge Karadag, Elie Karam, Richard Layard, Shekhar Saxena, Emily Thornton, Ashley Whillans, and Jamil Zaki. "Policy Stringency and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Analysis of Data from 15 Countries." Lancet Public Health 7, no. 5 (May 2022): e417–e426. View Details
  • Gonzalez, Antonya Marie, Lucia Macchia, and Ashley V. Whillans. "The Developmental Origins and Behavioral Consequences of Attributions for Inequality." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 101 (July 2022). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Colin West. "Alleviating Time Poverty Among the Working Poor: A Pre-Registered Longitudinal Field Experiment." Art. 719. Scientific Reports 12 (2022). View Details
  • Aknin, Lara, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Elizabeth Dunn, Daisy Fancourt, Elkhonon Goldberg, John Helliwell, Sarah P. Jones, Elie Karam, Richard Layard, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Andrew Rzepa, Shekhar Saxena, Emily Thornton, Tyler VanderWeele, Ashley V. Whillans, Jamil Zaki, Ozge Karadag Caman, and Yanis Ben Amour. "Mental Health During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review and Recommendations for Moving Forward." Perspectives on Psychological Science (forthcoming). (Pre-published online January 19, 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Jaewon Yoon, and Grant Donnelly. "People Overestimate the Self-Presentation Costs of Deadline Extension Requests." Art. 104253. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 98 (January 2022). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, Joseph Sherlock, Jessica Roberts, Shibeal O'Flaherty, Lyndsay Gavin, Holly Dykstra, and Michael Daly. "Nudging the Commute: Using Behaviorally-Informed Interventions to Promote Sustainable Transportation." Behavioral Science & Policy 7, no. 2 (2021): 27–49. View Details
  • Kniffin, Kevin M., Jayanth Narayanan, Frederik Anseel, John Antonakis, Susan Ashford, Arnold B. Bakker, Peter Bamberger, Hari Bapuji, Devasheesh P. Bhave, Virginia K. Choi, Stephanie Creary, Evangelia Demerouti, Francis J. Flynn, Michele J. Gelfand, Lindred Greer, Gary Johns, Selin Kesebir, Peter G. Klein, Sun Young Lee, Hakan Ozcelik, Jennifer Louise Petriglieri, Nancy Rothbard, Cort W. Rudolph, Jason D. Shaw, Nina Sirola, Connie R. Wanberg, Ashley V. Whillans, Michael P. Wilmot, and Mark van Vugt. "COVID-19 and the Workplace: Implications, Issues, and Insights for Future Research and Action." American Psychologist 76, no. 1 (January 2021): 63–77. View Details
  • Milkman, Katherine L., Dena Gromet, Hung Ho, Joseph S. Kay, Timothy W. Lee, Pepi Pandiloski, Yeji Park, Aneesh Rai, Max Bazerman, John Beshears, Lauri Bonacorsi, Colin Camerer, Edward Chang, Gretchen Chapman, Robert Cialdini, Hengchen Dai, Lauren Eskreis-Winkler, Ayelet Fishbach, James J. Gross, Samantha Horn, Alexa Hubbard, Steven J. Jones, Dean Karlan, Tim Kautz, Erika Kirgios, Joowon Klusowski, Ariella Kristal, Rahul Ladhania, Jens Ludwig, George Loewenstein, Barbara Mellers, Sendhil Mullainathan, Silvia Saccardo, Jann Spiess, Gaurav Suri, Joachim H. Talloen, Jamie Taxer, Yaacov Trope, Lyle Ungar, Kevin G. Volpp, Ashley Whillans, Jonathan Zinman, and Angela L. Duckworth. "Megastudies Improve the Impact of Applied Behavioural Science." Nature 600, no. 7889 (December 16, 2021): 478–483. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Jaewon Yoon, Aurora Turek, and Grant E. Donnelly. "Extension Request Avoidance Predicts Greater Time Stress Among Women." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 45 (November 9, 2021). (This article was featured as a “Research Highlight” in Nature in November, 2021.) View Details
  • Hur, Julia, Alice Lee-Yoon, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Are They Useful? The Effects of Performance Incentives on the Prioritization of Work Versus Personal Ties." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 165 (July 2021): 103–114. (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Yemiscigil, Ayse, Nattavudh Powdthavee, and Ashley V. Whillans. "The Effects of Retirement on Sense of Purpose in Life: Crisis or Opportunity?" Psychological Science 32, no. 11 (November 2021): 1856–1864. View Details
  • Collins, Hanne K., Ashley V. Whillans, and Leslie K. John. "Joy and Rigor in Behavioral Science." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 164 (May 2021): 179–191. View Details
  • Giurge, Laura M., Ashley V. Whillans, and Ayse Yemiscigil (shared authorship). "A Multicountry Perspective on Gender Differences in Time Use During COVID-19." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 12 (March 23, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Leslie Perlow, and Aurora Turek. "Experimenting During the Shift to Virtual Team Work: Learnings from How Teams Adapted Their Activities During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Information and Organization 31, no. 1 (March 2021). View Details
  • Macchia, Lucia, and A.V. Whillans. "Leisure Beliefs and the Subjective Well-being of Nations." Journal of Positive Psychology 16, no. 2 (2021): 198–206. (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Ward, D., L.E. Park, K. Naragon-Gainey, H. Jung, and A.V. Whillans. "Can't Buy Me Love (or Friendship): Social Consequences of Financially Contingent Self-Worth." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 46, no. 12 (December 2020): 1665–1681. View Details
  • Giurge, Laura, Ashley V. Whillans, and Colin West. "Why Time Poverty Matters for Individuals, Organisations, and Nations." Nature Human Behaviour 4, no. 10 (October 2020): 993–1003. (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Smeets, Paul, A.V. Whillans, Rene Bekkers, and Michael I. Norton. "Time Use and Happiness of Millionaires: Evidence from the Netherlands." Social Psychological & Personality Science 11, no. 3 (April 2020): 295–307. View Details
  • Dunn, Elizabeth, A.V. Whillans, Michael I. Norton, and Lara B. Aknin. "Prosocial Spending and Buying Time: Money as a Tool for Increasing Subjective Well-Being." Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 61 (2020). View Details
  • Kristal, Ariella S., A.V. Whillans, Max Bazerman, Francesca Gino, Lisa Shu, Nina Mazar, and Dan Ariely. "Signing at the Beginning vs at the End Does Not Decrease Dishonesty." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, no. 13 (March 31, 2020). View Details
  • Kristal, Ariella S., and A.V. Whillans. "What We Can Learn from Five Naturalistic Field Experiments That Failed to Shift Commuter Behaviour." Nature Human Behaviour 4, no. 2 (February 2020): 169–176. (This article was featured on the cover as the lead article.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Lara B. Aknin, Colin Ross, Lihan Chen, and Frances S. Chen. "Common Variants of the Oxytocin Receptor Gene Do Not Predict the Positive Mood Benefits of Prosocial Spending." Emotion 20, no. 5 (August 2020): 734–749. View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Lucia Macchia, and Elizabeth Dunn. "Valuing Time Over Money Predicts Happiness After a Major Life Transition: A Preregistered Longitudinal Study of Graduating Students." Science Advances 5, no. 9 (September 2019). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Agentic Appeals Increase Charitable Giving in an Affluent Sample of Donors." PLoS ONE 13, no. 12 (December 2018). View Details
  • Hofer, Marlise, Hanne Collins, Ashley V. Whillans, and Frances Chen. "Olfactory Cues from Romantic Partners and Strangers Moderate Women's Responses to Stress." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 114, no. 1 (January 2018): 1–9. (Lead Article.) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., C. Christie, S. Cheung, A.H. Jordan, and F.S. Chen. "From Misperception to Social Connection: Correlates and Consequences of Overestimating Others' Social Connectedness." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 43, no. 12 (December 2017): 1696–1711. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Elizabeth W. Dunn, Paul Smeets, Rene Bekkers, and Michael I. Norton. "Buying Time Promotes Happiness." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114, no. 32 (August 8, 2017). (Ranked in the top 100 most talked about articles across science in 2017 (Almetric).) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., E.M. Caruso, and E.W. Dunn. "Both Selfishness and Selflessness Start with the Self: How Wealth Shapes Responses to Charitable Appeals." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 70 (May 2017): 242–250. (This publication was featured as an "Editor's Choice" at Science in January, 2017.) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., S.C. Seider, R. Dwyer, L. Chen, S. Novick, K.J. Graminga, B.A. Mitchell, V. Savalei, S.S. Dickerson, and E.W. Dunn. "Does Volunteering Improve Well-being?" Comprehensive Results in Social Psychology 1, nos. 1-3 (2016): 35–50. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Nathan J. Wispinski, and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Seeing Wealth as a Responsibility Improves Attitudes Towards Taxation." Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 127 (July 2016): 146–154. View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., E.W. Dunn, G.M. Sandstrom, S.S. Dickerson, and K.M. Madden. "Is Spending Money on Others Good for Your Heart?" Health Psychology 35, no. 6 (June 2016): 574–580. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Aaron C. Weidman, and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Valuing Time Over Money Is Associated with Greater Happiness." Social Psychological & Personality Science 7, no. 3 (April 2016): 213–222. (Most read publication in SPPS in December & January, 2016. This publication was featured in the "Top 10 Insights from the Science of a Meaningful Life in 2016" by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Thinking About Time as Money Decreases Environmental Behavior." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 127 (March 2015): 44–52. View Details
  • Aknin, Lara B., Elizabeth W. Dunn, Ashley V. Whillans, Adam M. Grant, and Michael I. Norton. "Making a Difference Matters: Impact Unlocks the Emotional Benefits of Prosocial Spending." Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 88 (April 2013): 90–95. View Details
Selected Book Chapters & White Papers
  • West, Colin, and Ashley Whillans. "Don't Waste Recipients' Time: How to Save and Give Time in Cash Transfer Programs." Chap. 8 in Using Cash Transfers to Build an Inclusive Society: A Behaviourally Informed Approach, edited by Jiaying Zhao, Saugato Datta, and Dilip Soman. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, forthcoming. View Details
  • Lee-Yoon, Alice, and A.V. Whillans. "Making Seconds Count: When Valuing Time Promotes Subjective Well-being." Current Opinion in Psychology 26 (April 2019): 54–57. View Details
  • Krekel, Christian, George Ward, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, and Council Members: J. Harter, A. Blankson, A. Clark, C. Cooper, J. Lim, P. Litchfield, J. Moss, M. I. Norton, A.V. Whillans, and D. Cooperrider, and D. Mendelwicz. "Employee Well-being, Productivity, and Firm Performance: Evidence and Case Studies." Chap. 5 in Global Happiness and Wellbeing Policy Report, by Global Council for Happiness and Wellbeing, 72–94. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2019. View Details
  • Aknin, Lara B., Ashley V. Whillans, Michael I. Norton, and Elizabeth W. Dunn. "Happiness and Prosocial Behavior: An Evaluation of the Evidence." Chap. 4 in World Happiness Report, edited by John F. Helliwell, Richard Layard, and Jeffrey D. Sachs, 67–86. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2019. View Details
  • Mogilner, Cassie, A.V. Whillans, and Michael I. Norton. "Time, Money, and Subjective Wellbeing." In Handbook of Well-Being, edited by Ed Diener, Shigehiro Oishi, and Louis Tay. Noba Scholar Handbook Series. Salt Lake City: DEF Publishers, 2018. Electronic. View Details
  • De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel, and Council Members: A. Blankson, A. Clark, C. Cooper, H. James, C. Krekel, J. Lim, P. Litchfield, J. Moss, M. I. Norton, M. Rojas, G. Ward, and A.V. Whillans. "Work and Well-being: A Global Perspective." Chap. 5 in Global Happiness Policy Report, edited by Global Council for Happiness and Wellbeing, 74–127. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2018. Electronic. View Details
Selected Working Papers
  • Ward, George, Hanne Collins, Michael I. Norton, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Work Values Shape the Relationship Between Stress and (Un)Happiness." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-044, September 2020. View Details
  • Blunden, Hayley, Jaewon Yoon, Ariella S. Kristal, and Ashley Whillans. "Soliciting Advice Rather Than Feedback Yields More Developmental, Critical, and Actionable Input." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 20-021, August 2019. (Revised April 2021.) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Jessie Pow, and Michael I. Norton. "Buying Time Promotes Relationship Satisfaction." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 18-072, January 2018. (Revised January 2020.) View Details
Cases and Teaching Materials
  • Hall, Brian J., Ashley V. Whillans, Davis Heniford, Dominika Randle, and Caroline Witten. "Innovation at Moog Inc." Harvard Business School Case 922-040, March 2022. (Revised April 2022.) View Details
  • Beshears, John, and Ashley Whillans. "A Behavioral Science Perspective on Motivation and Incentives." Harvard Business School Module Note 922-033, March 2022. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Jeff Polzer. "Applied: Using Behavioral Science to Debias Hiring." Harvard Business School Case 921-046, March 2021. (Revised September 2021.) (https://www.beapplied.com/.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Jeff Polzer. "Applied: Using Behavioral Science to Debias Hiring (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 921-047, March 2021. View Details
  • Hall, Brian, Lamar Pierce, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Maritz Automotive." Harvard Business School Case 920-052, March 2020. (Revised November 2020.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Lamar Pierce. "Maritz Automotive." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-044, January 2021. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Montgomery, Cynthia A., and Ashley V. Whillans. "France Télécom (A): A Challenging Restructuring." Harvard Business School Case 721-420, December 2020. (Revised June 2021.) View Details
  • Montgomery, Cynthia A., and Ashley V. Whillans. "France Télécom (B): A Wave of Staff Suicides." Harvard Business School Supplement 721-421, December 2020. View Details
  • Montgomery, Cynthia A., and Ashley V. Whillans. "France Télécom (C): An Unprecedented Trial." Harvard Business School Supplement 721-422, December 2020. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley. "France Télécom (A), (B), and (C)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 722-438, March 2022. (Revised April 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Shibeal O'Flaherty. "The What Works Centre: Using Behavioral Science to Improve Social Worker Well-being (A)." Harvard Business School Case 921-020, October 2020. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., and Shibeal O'Flaherty. "The What Works Centre: Using Behavioral Science to Improve Social Worker Well-being (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 921-022, October 2020. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V. "The What Works Centre: Using Behavioral Science to Improve Social Worker Well-being (A) and (B)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-021, January 2021. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and John Beshears. "Social Salary Setting at Spiber." Harvard Business School Case 920-050, June 2020. (Revised March 2020.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and John Beshears. "Social Salary Setting at Spiber." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-014, November 2020. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Liz Goldenberg. "To Prioritize Money or Time? The P-Mot Exercise (Student)." Harvard Business School Exercise 921-012, August 2020. (Revised October 2020.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Liz Goldenberg. "To Prioritize Money or Time? The P-Mot Exercise (Instructor)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-013, August 2020. (Revised October 2020.) View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Esel Çekin, and Alpana Thapar. "Ureed.com: The Marketplace for Language." Harvard Business School Case 920-038, January 2020. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V. "Ureed.com: The Marketplace for Language." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 921-028, January 2021. (Revised March 2022.) View Details
Selected Editorials
  • Whillans, A.V. "Go Ahead and Ask for More Time on That Deadline." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (December 10, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, Dave Feldman, and Damian Wisniewski. "The Psychology Behind Meeting Overload." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (November 12, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Grant Donnelly. "How Men and Women Treat Deadlines in the Workplace Differently." Wall Street Journal (October 30, 2021). View Details
  • Stein, Daniel, Nick Hobson, Jon M. Jachimowicz, and Ashley Whillans. "How Companies Can Improve Employee Engagement Right Now." Harvard Business Review (website) (October 13, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley, and Charlotte Lockhart. "A Guide to Implementing the 4-Day Workweek: Working Less Can Reduce Employees' Stress—Without Sacrificing Productivity." Harvard Business Review (website) (September 28, 2021). View Details
  • O'Flaherty, Shibeal, Michael Sanders, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Research: A Little Recognition Can Provide a Big Morale Boost." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (March 29, 2021). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. "Which of These 6 Time Traps Is Eating Up All Your Time?" TED Ideas (November 4, 2020). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley. "Time Confetti and the Broken Promise of Leisure." Behavioral Scientist (October 7, 2020). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Emanuel de Bellis, Fabian Nindl, and Tobias Schlager. "Robots Save Us Time—But Do They Make Us Happier?" Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (October 5, 2020). View Details
  • Howe, Lauren C., Ashley V. Whillans, and Jochen I. Menges. "How to (Actually) Save Time When You're Working Remotely." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (August 24, 2020). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Annie Wilson, and Tobias Schlager. "It's Okay to Say 'No' to Social Events During COVID." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (August 6, 2020). View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley V., Laura M. Giurge, Lucia Macchia, and Ayse Yemiscigil. "Research: Why a COVID-19 World Feels Both Tiring and Hopeful for College Students." HBR Ascend (August 3, 2020). View Details
  • Donnelly, Grant, and A.V. Whillans. "In Giving Financial Gifts to Friends and Family, Some Ways Are Better Than Others." Wall Street Journal (May 1, 2020). (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Sandstrom, Gillian M., and A.V. Whillans. "Why You Miss Those Casual Friends So Much." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (April 22, 2020). (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Kristal, Ariella S., and A.V. Whillans. "Why It's So Hard to Change People's Commuting Behavior." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (December 24, 2019). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Charlotte Blank, Laura M. Giurge, and Laurel Newman. "Getting Your Team to Do More Than Meet Deadlines." Harvard Business Review (website) (November 15, 2019). (Shared Authorship.) View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. "Are New Graduates Happier Making More Money or Having More Time?" Harvard Business Review (website) (July 25, 2019). View Details
  • Williams, Allison L., Acacia C. Parks, and Ashley Whillans. "Can Online Tools Help Employees Build Resilience?" Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (April 24, 2019). View Details
  • Yoon, Jaewon, A.V. Whillans, and Grant Donnelly. "Why We Don't Ask for More Time on Deadlines (But Probably Should)." Harvard Business Review (website) (April 4, 2019). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. "Time for Happiness: Why the Pursuit of Money Isn't Bringing You Joy—and What Will." Special Issue on HBR Big Idea: Time Poor and Unhappy. Harvard Business Review (website) (January 29, 2019). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Michael I. Norton, and Cassie Mogilner Holmes. "The Scientifically Proven Best Ways to Spend Time if You Want to Be Happy." Quartz at Work (February 13, 2018). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Elizabeth Dunn. "To Promote Happiness, Choose Time Over Money." Behavioral Scientist (November 14, 2017). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., Elizabeth Dunn, and Eugene Caruso. "How to Get the Wealthy to Donate." New York Times (May 12, 2017). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Michael I. Norton. "If You Want to Feel Better, Spend Money on Saving Time." Wall Street Journal (online) (September 11, 2017). View Details
  • Whillans, A.V., and Elizabeth Dunn. "Want to Be Happier? Buy Yourself More Free Time." Los Angeles Times (July 26, 2017). View Details
  • Dunn, Elizabeth, and A.V. Whillans. "Give, If You Know What's Good for You." New York Times (December 24, 2015). View Details
Practitioner Papers
  • Aknin, Lara B., and Ashley V. Whillans. "Helping and Happiness: A Review and Guide for Public Policy." Social Issues and Policy Review 15 (2021): 3–34. View Details
  • Whillans, Ashley. "The Start of Time Smart Leadership." Leader to Leader 99 (Winter 2021): 64–69. View Details
  • Landry, Anais Thibault, and A.V. Whillans. "The Power of Workplace Rewards: Using Self-Determination Theory to Understand Why Reward Satisfaction Matters for Workers Around the World." Compensation & Benefits Review 50, no. 3 (June 2018): 123–148. View Details
  • Thibault-Landry, Anais, Allan Schweyer, and Ashley V. Whillans. "Winning the War for Talent: Modern Motivational Methods for Attracting and Retaining Employees." Compensation & Benefits Review 49, no. 4 (September 2017): 230–246. View Details
  • Whillans, A.V. "A Brief Introduction to the Science of Fundraising." White Paper, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Washington, DC, May 2016. View Details
Research Summary
Overview
The basis of Professor Whillans’ research is the idea that time and money are two of our most valuable resources, and she poses the question, “With both of these resources being limited, how should we spend our time and money to maximize happiness?” To answer this question, and to understand the psychological barriers that may prevent people from spending their free time and discretionary income in ways that promote well-being, she starts in the lab, then takes her ideas to the real world, to examine the applicability and replicability of her research.
Health & Giving
Past research suggests that spending money on others (prosocial spending) can promote happiness. With this as a springboard, Professor Whillans’ work examines the health benefits of helping others. After recruiting older adults who were previously diagnosed with high blood pressure, she gave each participant a modest amount of money to spend over the course of three weeks. Measuring their blood pressure before, during, and after they spent their study payments, Professor Whillans found that participants who were randomly assigned to spend money on others showed significant reductions in blood pressure, a benefit comparable in magnitude to starting a new aerobic exercise program. Her work provides some of the strongest evidence to date that prosocial behavior can lead to clinically relevant benefits for physical health.
Wealth & Giving
While investigating the benefits of prosocial behavior, Professor Whillans came across a puzzling finding: the more money that people make, the less they donate to charity, proportionately speaking. Given that prosocial behavior can provide a key lever for improving health and happiness, she sought to uncover psychological factors that can encourage charitable giving, particularly among those with the greatest capacity to give. Professor Whillans has conducted studies that show when appeals emphasize agency (the pursuit of personal goals) as compared to communion (the pursuit of shared goals), wealthier individuals donate more money to charity. Thus, tailored messages can encourage the wealthiest people in society to spend their money in more generous, and potentially more emotionally satisfying, ways. Building on her past research, Professor Whillans is currently examining other theoretically grounded methods of promoting and sustaining financial generosity. She is also conducting several large scale trials examining the benefit of sport and education programming on youth development and charitable giving intentions and behavior in collaboration with CHIMP (Charitable Impact Foundation).
Buying Time
Taking more time for oneself—such as by working less—often comes at the expense of having less money, and working to earn more money often cuts into free time. When attempting to maximize happiness, what should people do: give up money to have more time, or give up time to have more money? Professor Whillans’ ongoing research suggests that prioritizing time over money is associated with greater happiness and life satisfaction.  In addition, her work suggests that people who spend money to have more free time by delegating their disliked tasks to others—such as shopping, cooking, and cleaning—report greater well-being. Yet she also finds evidence that many people are reluctant to buy time even if doing so can promote their welfare. She is exploring the idea of “future time-slack,” which is the notion that most people believe that they will have more time in the future than they do in the present. 
Awards & Honors
Second place winner of the Best Book Hindsight Award by Center for Advanced Hindsight in 2020 for Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life
Time Smart is Amazon's #1 Time Management in Business New Release.
Time Smart named one of Greater Good's Favorite Books of 2020.
Time Smart named among Top 10 Business Books by the Globe and Mail in December 2020.
Time Smart named among the Notable Behavioral Science books of 2020 by the Behavioral Science & Policy Association.
Received Honorable Mention for the 2019 Dissertation Award from the International Positive Psychology Association.
Winner of the 2018 Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS)/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award.
Named a “Rising Star of Behavioral Science” in 2018 by the International Policy Exchange and the Behavioral Science & Policy Association.
Winner of the 2016 Heritage Foundation Dissertation Award from The Society for Personality & Social Psychology for “Exchanging Seconds for Cents: The Happiness Benefits of Choosing Time Over Money.”
Recipient of the 2016 Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, a University-wide award recognizing the top 1% of Teaching Assistants and the most competitive award graduate students can win for teaching at the University of British Columbia.
Winner of the 2016 Judgement and Decision Making Pre-Conference Paper Award from the Society for Judgement and Decision Making for “The Benefits and Barriers of Buying Happier Time” with Elizabeth W. Dunn and Michael I. Norton.
Named a “Rising Star of Behavioral Science” in 2015 by the International Policy Exchange and the Behavioral Science & Policy Association.
Winner of the 2015 Stan Coren Prize for Top Psychology Master’s Thesis from The University of British Columbia.
Recipient of the Certificate of Academic Excellence for Top Psychology Master’s Thesis in 2015 from the Canadian Psychological Association.
Winner of the 2012 Belkin Award for Top Psychology Honor’s Thesis at The University of British Columbia.
Selected in 2012 as a Wesbrook Scholar, a designation given to The University of British Columbia’s top 20 graduating students.
Winner of the 2012 Russ Patrick Award for Undergraduate Research Writing, Best Undergraduate Essay, for “The Health Benefits of Helping Others,” at The University of British Columbia.
Additional Information
  • Curriculum Vitae
Areas of Interest
  • consumer psychology
  • corporate culture
  • happiness
  • incentives
  • work/family balance
In The News

In The News

    • 30 Oct 2021
    • Wall Street Journal

    How Men and Women Treat Deadlines in the Workplace Differently

    • 15 Oct 2021
    • TED

    Three Rules for Better Work-Life Balance

    • 30 Sep 2021
    • Forbes

    Soliciting Advice Rather Than Feedback Produces More Actionable Input According To Harvard Business School

    • 04 May 2021
    • Bloomberg Businessweek

    A Return to the Office Is a Great Chance to Make a Fresh Start

    • 09 May 2021
    • Wall Street Journal

    Should You Go Back to the Office?

→More News for Ashley V. Whillans

Ashley V. Whillans In the News

News to be posted

30 Oct 2021
Wall Street Journal
How Men and Women Treat Deadlines in the Workplace Differently

15 Oct 2021
TED
Three Rules for Better Work-Life Balance

30 Sep 2021
Forbes
Soliciting Advice Rather Than Feedback Produces More Actionable Input According To Harvard Business School

04 May 2021
Bloomberg Businessweek
A Return to the Office Is a Great Chance to Make a Fresh Start

09 May 2021
Wall Street Journal
Should You Go Back to the Office?

24 Apr 2021
New York Times
How to Navigate the Postpandemic Office

30 Apr 2020
Wall Street Journal
In This Crisis, Giving People Financial Gifts Can Lead to Bad Feelings

13 Sep 2020
Wall Street Journal
The Biggest Money Mistakes People Make in a Recession

26 May 2020
Wall Street Journal
35 Ways to Jump-Start Your Emergency Savings

26 May 2020
Wall Street Journal
What Quarantine Can Teach You About Spending and Happiness

15 Jul 2019
New York Times
How to Be Happy

14 Jun 2019
TEDxCambridge
A Simple Strategy For Happiness

13 May 2019
NBC
How money can buy happiness

30 Apr 2019
The Conversation
Our smartphone addiction is killing us – can apps that limit screen time offer a lifeline?

25 Apr 2019
NBC
How to say no to invitations without hurting anyone's feelings

28 Mar 2019
Washington Post
The one benefit workers want more than anything

08 Feb 2019
New York Magazine
The Psychological Trap of Freelancing

03 Feb 2019
Business Insider
A Harvard professor says most of us squander 5-minute opportunities to be happier every day

28 Jan 2019
HBS Working Knowledge
Forget Cash. Here are Better Ways to Motivate Employees

28 Dec 2018
Washington Post
Answering a quick video call to help a blind person is ‘so awesome’

07 Dec 2018
Wall Street Journal
If You Want to Feel Better, Spend Money on Saving Time

13 Nov 2018
Forbes
What Makes Us Tick? Insights From The 2018 Behavioral Summit

07 Sep 2018
Scientific American
Exercise, Eat Well, Help Others: Altruism's Surprisingly Strong Health Impact

04 Sep 2018
Behavorial Scientist
From Ph.D. to Policy: Facilitating Connections Between Junior Scholars and Policymakers

18 Aug 2018
Week
How to be happier

12 Jul 2018
New York Times
How to Make This the Summer of Missing Out

28 May 2018
The Cut
Read This Story and Get Happier The most popular course at Yale teaches how to be happy. We took it for you.

02 Apr 2018
New York Times
Fighting Over Chores? Spend Some Money, Save the Marriage

14 Sep 2017
NPR
If You Think Everyone Else Has More Friends, You're Not Alone

27 Jul 2017
New York Times
Want to Be Happy? Buy More Takeout and Hire a Maid, Study Says

17 May 2017
CNN
Can psychology influence the way we recycle?

11 Dec 2016
Wall Street Journal
The Mistakes We Make When Giving to Charity

17 Sep 2017
Business Insider
If you think everyone else has more friends than you do, you're probably wrong

25 Oct 2017
Philanthropy News Digest
The Motivations Behind Giving

25 Jul 2017
New York Post
Buying time could be the secret to happiness

25 Jul 2017
BBC News
Time, not material goods, 'raises happiness'

25 Jul 2017
Newsweek
Money is the Secret to Happiness, Science Says

24 Jul 2017
Associated Press
Yes, You Can Buy Happiness-If You Spend It to Save Time

24 Jul 2017
CNN
How to fight 'time famine' and boost your happiness

10 Jan 2018
University Affairs
Publicly engaged PhDs shift the notion of the ivory tower

12 May 2017
New York Times
How to Get the Wealthy to Donate

24 Oct 2017
Harvard Magazine
Cashing Out For Happiness

09 Jan 2016
CNN
Valuing your time over money may be linked to happiness

24 Dec 2015
New York Times
Give, if You Know What’s Good for You

Additional Information
Curriculum Vitae

Areas of Interest

consumer psychology
corporate culture
happiness
incentives
work/family balance

In The News

    • 30 Oct 2021
    • Wall Street Journal

    How Men and Women Treat Deadlines in the Workplace Differently

    • 15 Oct 2021
    • TED

    Three Rules for Better Work-Life Balance

    • 30 Sep 2021
    • Forbes

    Soliciting Advice Rather Than Feedback Produces More Actionable Input According To Harvard Business School

    • 04 May 2021
    • Bloomberg Businessweek

    A Return to the Office Is a Great Chance to Make a Fresh Start

    • 09 May 2021
    • Wall Street Journal

    Should You Go Back to the Office?

→More News for Ashley V. Whillans

Ashley V. Whillans In the News

News to be posted

30 Oct 2021
Wall Street Journal
How Men and Women Treat Deadlines in the Workplace Differently

15 Oct 2021
TED
Three Rules for Better Work-Life Balance

30 Sep 2021
Forbes
Soliciting Advice Rather Than Feedback Produces More Actionable Input According To Harvard Business School

04 May 2021
Bloomberg Businessweek
A Return to the Office Is a Great Chance to Make a Fresh Start

09 May 2021
Wall Street Journal
Should You Go Back to the Office?

24 Apr 2021
New York Times
How to Navigate the Postpandemic Office

30 Apr 2020
Wall Street Journal
In This Crisis, Giving People Financial Gifts Can Lead to Bad Feelings

13 Sep 2020
Wall Street Journal
The Biggest Money Mistakes People Make in a Recession

26 May 2020
Wall Street Journal
35 Ways to Jump-Start Your Emergency Savings

26 May 2020
Wall Street Journal
What Quarantine Can Teach You About Spending and Happiness

15 Jul 2019
New York Times
How to Be Happy

14 Jun 2019
TEDxCambridge
A Simple Strategy For Happiness

13 May 2019
NBC
How money can buy happiness

30 Apr 2019
The Conversation
Our smartphone addiction is killing us – can apps that limit screen time offer a lifeline?

25 Apr 2019
NBC
How to say no to invitations without hurting anyone's feelings

28 Mar 2019
Washington Post
The one benefit workers want more than anything

08 Feb 2019
New York Magazine
The Psychological Trap of Freelancing

03 Feb 2019
Business Insider
A Harvard professor says most of us squander 5-minute opportunities to be happier every day

28 Jan 2019
HBS Working Knowledge
Forget Cash. Here are Better Ways to Motivate Employees

28 Dec 2018
Washington Post
Answering a quick video call to help a blind person is ‘so awesome’

07 Dec 2018
Wall Street Journal
If You Want to Feel Better, Spend Money on Saving Time

13 Nov 2018
Forbes
What Makes Us Tick? Insights From The 2018 Behavioral Summit

07 Sep 2018
Scientific American
Exercise, Eat Well, Help Others: Altruism's Surprisingly Strong Health Impact

04 Sep 2018
Behavorial Scientist
From Ph.D. to Policy: Facilitating Connections Between Junior Scholars and Policymakers

18 Aug 2018
Week
How to be happier

12 Jul 2018
New York Times
How to Make This the Summer of Missing Out

28 May 2018
The Cut
Read This Story and Get Happier The most popular course at Yale teaches how to be happy. We took it for you.

02 Apr 2018
New York Times
Fighting Over Chores? Spend Some Money, Save the Marriage

14 Sep 2017
NPR
If You Think Everyone Else Has More Friends, You're Not Alone

27 Jul 2017
New York Times
Want to Be Happy? Buy More Takeout and Hire a Maid, Study Says

17 May 2017
CNN
Can psychology influence the way we recycle?

11 Dec 2016
Wall Street Journal
The Mistakes We Make When Giving to Charity

17 Sep 2017
Business Insider
If you think everyone else has more friends than you do, you're probably wrong

25 Oct 2017
Philanthropy News Digest
The Motivations Behind Giving

25 Jul 2017
New York Post
Buying time could be the secret to happiness

25 Jul 2017
BBC News
Time, not material goods, 'raises happiness'

25 Jul 2017
Newsweek
Money is the Secret to Happiness, Science Says

24 Jul 2017
Associated Press
Yes, You Can Buy Happiness-If You Spend It to Save Time

24 Jul 2017
CNN
How to fight 'time famine' and boost your happiness

10 Jan 2018
University Affairs
Publicly engaged PhDs shift the notion of the ivory tower

12 May 2017
New York Times
How to Get the Wealthy to Donate

24 Oct 2017
Harvard Magazine
Cashing Out For Happiness

09 Jan 2016
CNN
Valuing your time over money may be linked to happiness

24 Dec 2015
New York Times
Give, if You Know What’s Good for You

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