Activity level: why are some people always on the go?

You ask a friend what she did at the weekend. Saturday: a run, a flea market, painting the hallway and dinner with friends. Sunday: a long walk, a visit to her parents and a bit of work in the evening.

You spent most of your weekend on the sofa with a book. You had a great time.

Why do some people seem to have an engine that never stops, while others are happiest at a slower pace?

Part of the explanation lies in what psychologists call activity level. In the Big Five model, it is one of six facets of extraversion. The facet describes the pace of your life: how busy you keep yourself, how much you take on, and how much you enjoy simply taking it easy.

What does activity level mean?

In personality psychology, activity level is about tempo and energy. It describes people who move quickly, have many things going on and fill their free time.

People who score high often recognise themselves in this:

• You are almost always busy.
• You are often on the go, from one thing to the next.
• You do a lot in your spare time.
• You find long stretches with nothing to do uncomfortable.
• Others sometimes ask how you find the energy.

People who score low prefer a calmer, more relaxed pace. That does not mean they are lazy or unmotivated. They simply do not need a full calendar to feel good.

The key is not how much you achieve, but how fast a pace feels natural to you.

Most people dread doing nothing

To understand activity level, it helps to start with something that applies to almost everyone.

In a series of 11 studies, researchers asked people to sit alone in a room for 6 to 15 minutes with nothing to do but think. Most did not enjoy it. They liked doing simple everyday tasks much more. In one experiment, many participants chose to give themselves a mild electric shock rather than just sit with their thoughts.

The study did not measure activity level. But it shows that the urge to keep busy is very human. People high in activity level may simply feel that urge more strongly, and act on it more often.

We need a reason to be busy

Another experiment looked at why people choose to keep themselves occupied.

In two experiments, participants could choose between staying idle and doing something that kept them busy. Without a reason, most chose to stay idle. But even a flimsy excuse was enough to make many of them choose to be busy. And those who had been busy were happier afterwards than those who had been idle, even when they had been forced to be busy.

The researchers called this idleness aversion: we dislike being idle, but we need a justification to keep busy.

This may help explain why some people always find a new project. For people high in activity level, the reasons to stay busy rarely run out.

Busyness as a status symbol

Being busy is not only about personality. It is also about how others see us.

In a series of studies, researchers found that a busy, overworked lifestyle, rather than a life of leisure, had become a status symbol, at least in North America. People who seemed busy were seen as competent, ambitious and in demand. The effect depended on culture, and the researchers found differences between North America and Europe.

This is not a study of personality. But it is a reminder that your pace is shaped by more than your temperament. A high score may reflect who you are, but also the expectations around you.

Active people move more

Activity level is not only about calendars. It is also about the body.

A meta-analysis from 2006 pooled 33 studies on personality and physical activity. Extraversion was linked to more physical activity, with a correlation of about .23. Conscientiousness was also linked to more activity, and neuroticism to slightly less.

The study measured extraversion as a whole, not activity level specifically. But it fits the picture of extraverts as people who like to be on the move.

Activity level is not the same as ambition or ADHD

This is an important distinction.

A high activity level does not mean you are especially ambitious or productive. Working hard towards long-term goals is captured by achievement-striving, a facet of conscientiousness. You can be constantly busy with many different things without pursuing a single clear goal. And you can be highly ambitious while working at a calm, steady pace.

A high activity level is also not the same as the hyperactivity seen in ADHD. Activity level is a normal personality difference in how fast a pace you prefer. ADHD is a clinical condition that involves problems with attention and impulse control that cause difficulties in several areas of life. A Big Five test cannot say anything about whether you have ADHD. If you are struggling with concentration or restlessness in daily life, it can be worth talking to your doctor or a psychologist.

Finally, being busy is not always a sign of energy. Some people keep busy to avoid worrying or feeling low. If that sounds familiar, it may be more about the facet anxiety than about activity level.

What does a high or low score mean?

High activity level

You have a lot of energy and like a fast pace. You often take on many things at once and enjoy a full calendar.

The flip side can be that you take on too much, find it hard to rest, or feel restless when life slows down.

Low activity level

You prefer a relaxed, unhurried pace. You like having time to spare and enjoy taking it easy.

That does not mean you get less done. Many low scorers work thoroughly and steadily, and they are often less likely to burn out on too many commitments.

Both descriptions are about typical tendencies, not rules that hold in every situation.

In everyday life

• At work: High scorers often thrive in fast-moving roles with many tasks. Low scorers often do better with time to concentrate and fewer parallel projects.
• In relationships: One partner wants to fill the weekend with plans, the other wants a quiet Sunday. Agreeing on some free days in advance can prevent many arguments.
• With children: Parents high in activity level often fill the family calendar. It is worth remembering that children differ too, and some need more downtime than others.
• Health: High scorers often find it easy to stay physically active. Low scorers may benefit from building movement into routines, such as walking or cycling to work, rather than relying on spare energy.

Can activity level change?

Personality is fairly stable, but activity level does change with age.

In a large long-term study of adults, measured with the questionnaire our test's facets are modelled on, activity level was stable in young adulthood and then declined at an accelerating rate in older age.

That is natural. But if you want to find a pace that suits you better, there are things you can try:

• If you score high, plan rest as deliberately as you plan activities.
• Notice whether you keep busy because you enjoy it, or to avoid something.
• If you score low, accept your pace and choose commitments carefully.
• Remember that busyness is not the same as importance, even if our culture sometimes treats it that way.

Frequently asked questions

Is a high activity level the same as being productive?

No. Activity level is about pace and how much you take on. Productivity depends just as much on focus, planning and self-discipline, which are measured under conscientiousness.

Is a low activity level the same as being lazy?

No. Low scorers prefer a slower pace, but they can be very hard-working. Laziness is more about lacking motivation to do what needs to be done, which is closer to the facet self-discipline.

Can I be introverted and have a high activity level?

Yes. You can avoid parties and still be constantly busy with training, projects and hobbies. The six facets of extraversion do not always go together.

How is activity level measured in the Big Five test?

Our test is based on the IPIP-NEO-120, where each facet is measured with four statements. For activity level, they are about always being busy, always being on the go, doing a lot in your spare time and liking to take it easy. The last one is scored in reverse. Read the score as a sign of a pattern, not as a complete description of you.

Find out where you score

Activity level is only one of the six facets of extraversion. You can have a busy life and still be quiet in groups, or have a slow pace and still love parties.

Take the Big Five test and see your whole profile, with all 30 facets.

Sources

• Wilson, T. D., Reinhard, D. A., Westgate, E. C., Gilbert, D. T., Ellerbeck, N., Hahn, C., Brown, C. L. & Shaked, A. (2014). Just think: The challenges of the disengaged mind. Science, 345(6192), 75–77.
• Hsee, C. K., Yang, A. X. & Wang, L. (2010). Idleness aversion and the need for justifiable busyness. Psychological Science, 21(7), 926–930.
• Bellezza, S., Paharia, N. & Keinan, A. (2017). Conspicuous consumption of time: When busyness and lack of leisure time become a status symbol. Journal of Consumer Research, 44(1), 118–138.
• Rhodes, R. E. & Smith, N. E. I. (2006). Personality correlates of physical activity: A review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(12), 958–965.
• Terracciano, A., McCrae, R. R., Brant, L. J. & Costa, P. T. (2005). Hierarchical linear modeling analyses of the NEO-PI-R scales in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Psychology and Aging, 20(3), 493–506.
• Johnson, J. A. (2014). Measuring thirty facets of the Five Factor Model with a 120-item public domain inventory: Development of the IPIP-NEO-120. Journal of Research in Personality, 51, 78–89.