Hi, we're here from Curiosity.com to help you get smarter in just a few minutes.

I'm Cody Gough.

And I'm Ashley Hamer.

Today you learn how to make an excuse without ruining your friendships, why we'd all move a lot faster

if nobody walked on the escalator?

And why you might not really know whether you're a morning or a night person

and how to find out the truth.

Let's satisfy some curiosity.

Before you blow off your next commitment, take this advice. Don't say the phrase, I don't have time.

According to new research, using busyness as an excuse could seriously harm your relationships.

Grant's Donnelly is an assistant professor of marketing at Ohio State University

and he says that when you have to decline in engagement,

you should blame a lack of money or even energy, but not time.

His research team came to this conclusion by sifting through Twitter conversations, polling couples

about their reactions to declined wedding invitations, and asking business people to imagine a colleague

turning down a dinner invite. No matter which way they looked at the question, the

team got the same results. People seem to be more hurt by excuses centering on

time, which can cause lasting damage to relationships.

The basic idea behind why this is hinges on the idea of control.

Essentially, people buy the idea that you really don't have the money and you just can't come.

So you're not making a choice.

But if you say you don't have time, then people just see it as you saying that you can't

...