I love it when I get a blog which tells me how long it will take to read: 2 minutes, 9 seconds. Are we really that time starved?
I’ve just been listening to Chris Evans talk about how we are time poor, but that we should be time rich because of the developments in technology. This morning I ordered a Red Nose Day outfit for my daughter from Amazon. In the olden days we would have travelled into town and walked around until we found said item. Estimated time: 1 hour. Time spent placing order on-line: 2 minutes.
So Why Are We Time Poor?
The Time Warp:
I am part way through a great book recommended by a client called ‘Black Box Thinking – Marginal Gains and The Secrets of High Performance.’ The author Matthew Syed talks about time perception and how time can run away with us, when we are under pressure. In 1978 a plane crashed into houses in Portland due to pilot error and his misconception of time. When the pilot was interviewed he said that the fuel couldn’t have run out in the time it took to problem solve the other issue and that the investigators should find out if there was a fuel leak. There was no fuel leak. Further tests were conducted in relation to perception of time and those involved in more complex activities, under estimated the time it took to complete the task by 40%, compared with those that carried out simpler tasks.
Over-burdened Production Lines:
I hear my clients saying yes too much to: 1) ‘extra’ jobs because they’re passionate about a particular task 2) they don’t know how to say no and don’t want to cause offence 3) they daren’t say no for fear of consequences, e.g. I might lose my job / that client / my reputation etc.
To cope with the excess work, they 1) speed up the production line – work faster, (switch their fight or flight system on…and leave it on), 2) put the production line on overtime, (they work long hours), 3) forget stopping the production line for maintenance, (they don’t take their full holiday entitlement and work at weekends eventually resulting in forced shutdown).
Increased Expectations:
We’re part of an instant gratification society. My goodness, if Amazon cannot deliver my item for a week, I can’t possibly wait! We run our businesses in the same way. I hear from my clients, about their clients that expect an instant response to their email or phone call. Really? Are they worth it? How can we manage expectations? If you’re good at what you do and they’re not a high maintenance client / customer, (who often eat into our profit margins), they will wait a little while, because you’re worth it. Think amazing dish on a menu which is advertised as taking a little longer to prepare.
More Cash, Less Leisure:
There have been changes to the way we lead our lives. Fewer people stay at home, whether through choice or not, putting additional pressure on the leisure time available in the evenings and at weekends.
Kid-Centric:
It’s a kid-centric world. You wanna do 7 clubs/activities a week, along with homework, ensuring you get enough exercise and are fed a healthy wholesome meal every day. Sure. No problem. I will work extra hours to pay for it too!
So How Can We Get More Time Rich?
1. Set some time boundaries for yourself and then stick to them. I work at home so it is easy for me to pop into the office. When I first set up my business it was fine to work into the early hours of the morning…until I got sick. What hours of work are reasonable for you? Performance for knowledge workers declines after 35 hours.
2. Ask yourself whether you want to do a task or need to do it; say no more. Sometimes we are just saying no for right now, (based on what you already have on your production line). You might be able to say yes later. I provide free support to a coaching and mentoring group. I was asked by another charity to help them out too. My free slot has been taken for right now. People instinctively know who the ‘good eggs’ are…those that are reliable and get a job done, but do you know what, it’s those very people that get stressed and sacrifice time for themselves. We are only here once – enjoy your time.
3. Force the change with a pleasurable hobby which demands time at the weekends or evenings. We got a boat in October and it has been the best pleasurable time wasting thing we have ever done. On Saturday, my daughter and I sat in our little boat tent / awning type thing, with our coats on, watching the rain pour down as my husband took great pleasure in using his new boat brush.
4. Be realistic about the time it takes to do certain activities. Slow down your production. I hear about clients going from meeting to meeting, (some of which are unnecessary), without a chance to collect thoughts or carry out actions. Create space in your diary. When I set up Beee 11 years ago, if a client said I need you to run courses all next week, (without any space to actually run your business in between), I would say, sure, (there’s that yes again) and then be the one crying in my PJ’s at the weekend, because I was still working. My general rule is:half the week client facing, half the week admin. What would work for you?
5. Simplify your work-life and be alert to time wasting/saving activities. Whether it’s saying no to some of the kid’s activities during the week. Batch cooking healthy meals and sticking them in the freezer. Putting limits on social media time. Telling a ‘detailed talker’ that you need to get on with your work. Paying to get time back, e.g. cleaner, gardener, ironer, decorator. Creating checklists to save brain power, (I have one for weekends away). Ordering your food shopping on-line. Batch tasking or do-as-you-go. Both have benefits. Does it work better to log your expenses as you go or do it as one big job? Multi-tasking destroys grey matter. One thing at once. Simplify.
6. Be in what you’re in. In the above-mentioned book, it talks about over-doing focus, which can warp our perception of time and I am guilty of. This is an interesting concept, as focus can be the thing that also gets a job done. Equally, when we are multi-tasking and on autopilot, we don’t register what we’re actually doing. How many times have you locked your car door, (unconsciously) and then had to go and check whether you’d locked it? Be in your work whilst you’re in it, (not feeling guilty about working), but equally be right in your leisure time. Use your senses. What are you really seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting and smelling. What does that chocolate really taste like? The Flake adverts of the 80’s were great examples of how to lead a mindful life!
