Did you know there's a reason we dread looking at the stacked blue, yellow and green blocks on our Google or other time management/appointment calendars.
Feeling too busy, or like we don't have time to do what we want, can lead to "time famine," according to Yale University psychology professor Laurie Santos. Time famine can lead to poorer work performance and burnout, and is just as harmful to our mental health as being unemployed, Santos said.
It even makes us less productive, because it makes us less happy. “I think we feel strapped for time because we think working ... as much as we work all the time is essential for achieving the things we want to achieve in life” she continued.
According to a recent article, four in five employed U.S. residents feel time-poor, based on a 2018 study. And Americans, particularly those under the age of 30, aren't that happy these days: The U.S. was recently ranked the 23rd happiest country in the world by Gallup's World Happiness Report, down eight spots from last year.
Happier people typically live longer, healthier lives, research shows. Companies that support employees' well-being also are more profitable, as indicated in a 2023 Indeed Survey.
The good news: We are told there are three simple actionable ways to build "time affluence," as Santos calls it, and improve our happiness. We should all think "about time the way we think about money," she said.
Limit time blocking
Plenty of productivity experts hail the practice of time blocking — transposing our to-do list onto our calendar, so we can give each task a dedicated amount of time. That includes calendar blocks for meal breaks and focused work times, alongside all our meetings and phone calls.
Santos isn't a fan. A jam-packed calendar might look impressive, she said, but it can make us feel like there's no time to eat lunch, chat with colleagues or even finish that day's Wordle.
And some tasks that belong on a to-do list don't deserve to take up space in our planner, Santos said. Giving ourself time, with fewer interruptions, to work on larger projects can psychologically make us feel less busy, less stressed and as result, more productive, she added.
Celebrate with 'time confetti'
Say we're in a meeting that ends early, or we finish a task ahead of schedule. Whenever we find a couple of unexpected free minutes, we should celebrate it.
Those tiny chunks of freedom are called "time confetti" — a term coined by author Brigid Schulte — and using them deliberately can also make us happier, said Santos.
Instead of finding a new task or scrolling on our phone, we can use those five minutes to do something that makes us feel better, she suggested. We could go for a walk, meditate or even exchange pet photos with a colleague.
Spend money, when needed, to get time back
Working hard is draining. Some of the best ways to rest, recover and reward ourselves do cost money, Santos noted.
If we have to work late one day, don't feel guilty eating leftovers or ordering takeout that night, she said. If we need a couple of extra minutes to get ready for an event, and public transit or parking is unpredictable, consider splurging on an Uber.
Extra credit: Limit our 'yes, damns' and track our 'no, yays'
Everyone's had a "yes, damn" moment. We accept meetings or take on extra tasks far in advance, and when the day comes, we resent how much time they eat up.
Instead, we should try a "no, yay" moment — an idea that comes from a 2005 psychology study — Santos suggested. The next time we turn down a small opportunity for the sake of getting something else done, set a reminder on the day it was supposed to happen. Then, instead of dreading it, we can celebrate the time you saved.
We’re all prisoners of time to a certain degree. Maybe these tips will help us understand the matter better and use our time more effectively.
Courtesy CNBC
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