Future Focus is Surprisingly Linked with Prioritizing Work–Life Balance over Long-Term Savings

The classic economic prediction is that long-term savings become more important as individuals become more future oriented. However, we expect future-oriented individuals to be more concerned with the long-term effects of work-life imbalance, leading us to hypothesize a positive correlation between future orientation and a choice of present work-life balance over work related long-term savings. In an online survey with open-university students, we confirmed our hypothesis. Important policy implications are discussed. The findings highlight a potential shift in priorities post-COVID-19, with significant implications for policies aimed at enhancing retirement savings. They suggest that promoting WLB can lead to a decrease in long-term savings, indicating a need for balanced policy measures that consider both well-being and future financial security.