ABSTRACT
When we say “time is of the essence” we often mean that, either within the confines of a given situation, or within the broader context of our lives, we have a limited amount of time to achieve a valued goal. We should therefore pay close attention to how much time we have left to complete that goal. Time rouses us from our slumber, time structures our days, and time helps to make sense of our lives and the world. And, from the moment we are born, time provides a canvas upon which we paint a past, a present, and a future. This book represents an attempt to understand how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are shaped by time. In this introductory chapter, we briefly review research on time, and give an overview of the chapters contributed to this volume.
