Clarity Shot #35
Hey there,
How are you? How are things unfolding through this lovely January, for you?
Has life gained speed, and maybe already started throwing some curve balls at whatever you planned on New Year’s Eve? Or are you still dwelling in that feeling of time luxury and relaxation that holidays bring?
Nostalgic about that happy confusion of not knowing exactly which day it is, and not feeling particularly keen to find out? Are you still in that time rich mood, or has it started to wear off, as meetings, appointments and projects started filling your days?
I’m not asking just for fun 😉
I’m asking because often we forget that time isn’t consistent, though we’d like to believe it is…
So let’s use this change of rhythm that comes up mid-Jan, as an inflection point to help us sprinkle some awareness confetti on our perception of time (which I think is the most overlooked aspect of time management in the entire history of time management)
You see, there is objective time that we measure in seconds, minutes, hours…
… and there is our subjective perception of time that influences how we relate to those seconds, minutes and hours. It influences our satisfaction with what we’re able to accomplish, the stories we tell ourselves about it, and what we do next.
Zooming out, it’s not the hours that count, but what we make of them.
And, in order to influence what we make of them, we need to update the way we perceive time.
The same 10 minutes can seem long & luxurious when we use them for something that looks like an indulgence… and the same 10 minutes can feel rushed and scarce when we think we’re already falling behind.
It’s not about those 10 minutes…
They’re not to blame, if we feel they’re not enough…
They’re just minutes ticking away… tick tock tick tock… regardless of what we think of them, or what we do in the meantime.
Tick tock tick tock… just doing their job, passing by…
It’s our attitude and our inner stories that make those minutes feel long, or short, luxurious or scarce, easy or stressful… that make us struggle with time, argue, resist, and amplify that feeling of “there is never enough time”.
The good news here?
While we cannot bend time, extend it to our wishes… we’re in control of our attitude and of our stories, which shape our perceptions, our experience and our ability to take action.
So how do we change our attitude towards time? How do we get out of “there’s never enough time”?
👉 We start by observing time in these two dimensions: objective measure, and our subjective experience. We observe how our days pass, instead of being swallowed by them. We notice & write down with open curiosity. We’re not concerned about judging our days as they pass, or thinking how they should pass… we’re just observing what actually happens.
👉 We develop an internal radar for moments & experiences when we feel time scarcity, and moments & experiences that make us feel time rich.
👉 We look for what influences those experiences… Are there any predictable situations or patterns that are triggering time scarcity?
What attitudes do we add on top? What stories do we tell ourselves?
Is there any drama, or is it us adding the drama?
👉 What alternatives do we have?
Can we approach it with a more relaxed & friendly attitude, if stressed & angry didn’t quite work ?
✨ This week’s Clarity Shot invites you to identify moments and experiences when you feel time is on your side.
Not necessarily in your control, but on your side.
In your favour.
Make a list. Look for opportunities to add these moments or experiences to those days when they don’t naturally come by ✨
Small doses work best… like stopping on your way to the supermarket to indulge feeling the sun on your face, for a minute. Without anything to solve, or overthink… just enjoying a pleasant experience for a bit. Does that minute change anything for you?
Find those experiences which create a sense of spaciousness and make you feel time rich.
Sprinkle them over busyness and see what changes…