All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us, but why is that so
hard to do?
Why do we feel like there’s never enough time?
Hey procrastinators, Julia here for DNews
Have you ever wondered why you will happily do nothing on a beach for hours on end but
won’t wait in line for just a few minutes?
Well, science is on the case!
Two recent papers published in Journal of Consumer Research looked into how we experience
time.
One paper identified factors that make consumers experience time in wonky ways.
The researchers examined five elements that need to be “in tune”.
“ technology, consumers' skill, their plans and moods, rules and regulations, and cultural
understanding” need to all align to make time pass at “just the right” speed.
To look at real world examples of when the elements are “in tune” the researchers
studied athletes of extreme sports, like free skiing.
Skiiers aren’t impatient waiting for their next jump.
They understand that it’s all part of the experience and use that time to their advantage.
Where most of us get impatient in line at the post office, social decorum makes us wait.
Yet we are already thinking of what else we have to do.
Those five elements are out of alignment, and time seems to drag on.
Speaking of, thinking of all the stuff we have to do can also make us feel the strain
of time.
Research published in the same journal found that people feel busier when they are close
to reaching a goal.
In several studies, the researchers found that people tolerate interruptions less the
closer they are to finishing a task.
Think of a big goal you have.
Like going on a trip to London.
That big goal is made up of smaller goals, which the researchers called “sub-goals”
like getting a taxi to the airport, checking in, going through security, arriving at a
gate, taking a train to the terminal.
You get the idea.
In one of the studies they asked people in airports to fill out a survey.
Some people were waiting for the train to the terminal while others had just arrived
at the gate.
The people waiting for the train were less likely to fill out the survey and when they
did they said they had less time.
The people who just arrived at the gate were more likely to take the survey, even though
they actually had less time till take off, but they were further from completing one
of their smaller goals so they felt like they had more time.
The people waiting for the train were so close to getting on that train, which would check
off a “subgoal” that they felt they had less time than they actually did!
The researchers think one of the reasons we feel so busy and will put off other things
that might be important is because we are so wrapped up in smaller, trivial, “subgoals”.
Another study published in the Journal of Marketing Research has another idea of why
we feel so busy.
The researchers asked participants to list certain tasks in order and to find if any
were in competition for time or money.
The researchers found that when participants felt like tasks were in conflict for time
they felt more stressed.
Which isn’t all that surprising.
But they also found that even when tasks didn’t compete for time, but competed for things
like money or emotional resources, people were just as anxious and that made them feel
pressed for time.
They called this a “false sense of anxiety”, that it’s all about perception, you might
not be actually pressed for time, you just THINK you are because of stress or anxiety.
But have no fear!
There are ways to manage this feeling.
The researchers suggest deep breathing to reduce immediate feelings of anxiety, and
to reframe that emotion as positive, like psych yourself up, tell yourself you’re
excited!
And prioritize!
I know it’s hard.
But that feeling of “oh my god how am I gonna get this all done” will ease if you
just breathe and start on one task at a time.
All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.
GUYS GUYS GUYS.
Did you know?
That scientists can SLOW DOWN TIME!?
FOR REAL!
Trace will tell you all about it in this video.
how do you deal with time management?
Let us know…