Time Poverty

Time poverty indicates the lack of free time for oneself, caused by the saturation of the day with care and work tasks, typical of single parents.

Definition of Time Poverty

Time poverty is the condition of not having enough hours in the day to meet fundamental needs for rest, self-care, leisure, and social life, after deducting the time required for paid work and unpaid domestic tasks. It is not a simple feeling of being rushed, but a structural lack of time that limits individual freedom.

The Single Parent Paradox

For a single parent/glossary/single-parent, time poverty represents a daily challenge often more burdensome than economic poverty. Having to face every aspect of family management alone—from school runs to managing medical emergencies, to cleaning and shopping—leaves no residual time for psychophysical well-being. This condition is closely linked to the mental load/glossary/mental-load and can rapidly lead to a state of parental burnout/glossary/parental-burnout.

Management and Awareness

Recognizing time poverty is the first step in combating it. Within the community, this term is used to describe the need to delegate, ask for support from one's social network, or simplify daily routines. Reducing time poverty means reclaiming precious minutes to rediscover one's identity beyond the role of parent.