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I’ve tried to optimise time on being productive, on fitting the most things to do in the least amount of time and on feeling the best in the moment. Right now, I’m optimising it to benefit me over time.
In trying to bend time to my current will, I’ve spent some time thinking about time. The mental models people have come up with, the metaphysics of time and most importantly, how do we perceive time as humans?
These thoughts have become even more prominent in periods of my life where I’ve felt a shortage of time. I’ve had several periods where I try my best to optimise time spent in order to get to do the things I want. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Either way, these mental models or thoughts have been helpful in thinking about time.
→ Changeover Time
Changeover time is similar to task switching – i.e the time it takes to switch between two tasks. Changeover time is a bit broader tho, accounting not only for tasks but just as well switching from one physical space to another, from one routine to another or one mode of being to another.
Accounting for changeover time in a time where I feel crunched for time is vital. This far, I haven’t really succeeded in taking the changeover time into account on a systematic level other than in planning my day. When I do, I feel like I’ve hacked the matrix.
→ Clock Time vs. Perceived Time
This one is pretty intuitive. Time moves differently within us than it does on our watches or screens. Most people have experienced flow where it feels like time is moving really quickly. As well as we’ve all stared at a pot with water waiting for it to start boiling. It takes the same clock time every time (given that the amount of water is the same) but sometimes it feels like forever.
Planning according to perceived time when planning stuff with other people isn’t really viable. It’s unreliable and will make for a strange schedule. But I encourage you to try it for yourself if you have a lone day. It’s quite amazing to intentionally listen to the signals your body and mind send you in order to determine how long you’re going to do something.
→ Time in Market
Time in market is a concept widely used in finance and when talking about investing. It speaks to the fact that exponential curves move quicker and quicker at the end of the curve. Hence, if you don’t disturb the exponential curves, you’ll get more and more return on your investment the longer you have it in the market.
The thing is, I think this works for everything that compounds. Reading, up-skilling, networking and so on. If you keep doing them, you’ll be able to benefit from time in market, and see an exponential curve. Otherwise it’ll look like this:
→ The movement of time
I think time moves through us. But that’s not how it’s most commonly shown when we are asked how time moves. Most people will draw a line or a spiral to show the movement of time. Without themselves.
Thinking about how time moves has been one of the most fun things about time, for me. Because there are so many ways we could envision time to be moving, and they all have different consequences. Both hypothetical and practical.