Photo courtesy of brian boulos Death of the Clock: Reclaiming Your Time
Article by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead.
We live our lives around the clock. We wake up at a certain time, work on a schedule and base our performance on the amount of time it takes us to do things. More things done in less time = good. More time needed? Deadline not met? Unacceptable.
But it’s not just the clock that gives us anxiety; it’s basing our worth on how productive we are. We have this false belief that if we just finish everything on our to do lists, we’ll be done. After that, we can finally be happy, right? Unfortunately, that time never comes.
We always find more things to do, more projects to work on, more ways to improve and optimize. But when we base our happiness on achievement, we’ve joined the cult of productivity. Being productive is no longer a means to an end. It’s the end entirely. And it’s a sickness.
Here are some signs you’ve contracted the productivititis:
- Inability to sit still for prolonged periods of time while playing games or spending time with friends.
- Accidentally leaving your planner at home causes you to break into a cold sweat.
- Lack of a highly-detailed action plan induces blurred vision, lack of ability to focus, and severe anxiety.
- You feel that saving time is a serious accomplishment. Clearing your inbox in 40 seconds less than yesterday is cause for a monumental celebration.
- Painting, laying out on the beach, and other non time-based activities are considered a horrendous sin against productivity.
Part of the reason for this obsession with productivity is we think time is money. But time is not money. Time is life.
Now, I’m not trying to throw the baby out with the bath water (actually, I don’t want to throw any babies anywhere — I’ve always thought that was a morbid expression). There is certainly a need for productivity and accomplishing goals. Without them, we would probably be pretty damn bored. But the problem is that we think more is the answer.
We want bite-sized happiness and short bursts of satisfaction. We go to theme parks and insist on going on every ride. We take trips and vacations, where we require that every attraction and monument be visited. We schedule our weeks trying to fit as many appointments and tasks in it as possible. All of this is done with the thought that someday, far away, we can relax.
If doing more isn’t the answer, maybe it’s doing less. Maybe it’s slowing down enough to actually enjoy the experience. Maybe it’s slowing down enough to remember what the hell you did two days ago, without having to look to your day planner.
With technology, we can get more done quicker than ever before. So isn’t that supposed to result in more free time and increased happiness? If so, why is it that most of us feel that when we’re not doing something productive, we’re uneasy? Why is it that when our time isn’t structured, we feel guilty?
In this article, Leo gave some good advice for how to break free from the clock. I think it’s important that we reject living our lives based on an arbitrary measurement. But I also think it’s important we question the values that brought us to this place. I think it’s possible that our search for happiness in productivity is largely due to a lack of being able to find satisfaction in the present moment.
Here are some suggestions for regaining the control of your time:
- Keep a balance. There are bound to be sacrifices that we must make in life for the future. Sometimes we have to use stepping stones to build our way to success. Sometimes we have to work a job that we don’t necessarily like, in order to make connections to move our way up. Sometimes we need stepping stones. Just try to keep a balance between goals that are long term, and doing things that make you happy now.
- Stay in perspective. Sometimes we need to drop goals that are no longer serving us. Having the courage to quit a goal that’s no longer aligned with you is okay. What matters most is that you stay authentic.
- Future goals. Are the sacrifices you’re making now a part of a larger purpose? Our long term goals should enable us to have more free time to do what we want in the future, not create more stress. If the stress outweighs the benefits, it’s likely that your goal is not authentic and is mostly ego-based.
- Say no. How often do you say yes to a commitment when you really want to say no? A lot of our freedom is stolen simply because we are unable to selfishly claim ownership of our time.. Realize you can only do so much. There’s no point in helping a hundred people if it’s making you miserable. That’s not a very good example to set for others.
- Is increasing your productivity increasing your happiness? If you’re getting more done, but not making more time for the things you want to do, something is wrong. The point of getting things done is not to have more time to get things done. It’s to have more time for the things you truly enjoy.
- Slow down. You’ll enjoy your time much more if you’re not constantly in a hurry. Something that’s helped me greatly is pretending as if what I’m doing is the only thing that exists at this time in the universe. This highly focused state doesn’t just make me enjoy what I’m doing more, it also makes me more effective.
- Just be there. We enjoy the time we spend much more when we’re “in the zone.” That is to say, we have completely lost track of time. We’re not judging what we’re doing, we’re just doing it. We’re not thinking about it, we’re just flowing.
- Follow your natural rhythms. We tend to try to force ourselves to be productive when we feel like relaxing. Doing this, we end up working against ourselves. Try to pay attention to your natural rhythms. When you feel like being productive, go with it. When you feel like relaxing, don’t hold yourself back. Doing nothing is not a crime. It’s essential.
If we can learn how to be more content, our productivity can have more meaning. Our productivity can be the result of our happiness. Not the other way around. Cultivate meaningful productivity and start to re-claim your time.
Remember, time is not money. Time is life.
This article was written by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead of the Illuminated Mind blog.
- Posted on 16 September 2008 in Happiness, Productivity & Organization |
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Comments (38)
Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy Says:
September 16th, 2008, 14:36 pm
This article is very timely in that I’ve recently felt very overwhelmed by the onslaught of activities I’ve committed myself to recently. Between getting ready to start my own business, performing as a musician, serving in the US National Guard, seeing friends and family AND holding down a full time job, I felt trapped! Last night, I had to take a step back and really figure out what was important to me and what needed attention NOW and what things I could save for later. I’ll definitely be taking some of your advice from this article to heart.
Dave Fowler Says:
September 16th, 2008, 14:51 pm
I love the principles you outline and I’d like to adopt them, however I feel that such notions are generally incongruent with ‘modern life’ and the society in which we live. If I desire to live within this society, and I do - I choose to watch the clock because if I don’t, I don’t fit in.
Time is life – There’s a lot of power in those three small words. I’ll remember them to help me make better choices with my… lifetime. Thanks for the article.
chris Says:
September 16th, 2008, 15:12 pm
What about spending too much time reading and writing blogs, is that time well spent or another form of imprisonment?
candy @ carrieanddanielle.com Says:
September 16th, 2008, 15:19 pm
Great read, thanks for sharing.
Saying no is something I myself struggle with - how does one do it while making sure they’re not offending anyone or closing any doors?
CreativeGoddess Says:
September 16th, 2008, 15:25 pm
Saying “No” to others -easy. Saying “No” to myself, well that’s another story!
Vered - MomGrind Says:
September 16th, 2008, 15:27 pm
“Painting, laying out on the beach, and other non time-based activities are considered a horrendous sin against productivity.”
Seriously? There are people who feel this way about relaxation? And I thought I was bad. :)
Chris - Zen to Fitness Says:
September 16th, 2008, 15:28 pm
This is a great post and very true to me as I have gotten older. When I was a kid I could sit down and play games for hours on end without thinking twice I was having fun and feeling good. Now I consider these things a waste of time but I do little productive stuff in the time I save…. Need to revert back to being child like!
Fit Bottomed Girl Says:
September 16th, 2008, 15:54 pm
What a great post. I often find that the busier I get, the harder it is for me to not be busy. Even just relaxing and reading a book for an hour feels like a vacation, and I have to really focus on enjoying the time instead of letting my mind race as to what I should be doing.
Following your own natural rhythms is so good though. When you work, you WORK and when you don’t feel it, you recharge. So smart.
Also, throwing the baby out with the bath water is a really morbid saying!!! That cracked me up…
Sid Savara Says:
September 16th, 2008, 16:15 pm
@Chris (regarding reading blog, imprisonment)
I think it is if you feel you HAVE to read them. I keep a few blogs in my personal “A-list” that I always read every post, and otherwise I just let them go.
If I find myself with too many things to read, I think to myself - yesterday I didn’t read that post, and I was fine. My life was good. Today, I see the post, and if I don’t read it - so what? I will continue to have a good life.
Let it go =)
Success Professor Says:
September 16th, 2008, 17:19 pm
Jonathan, good post. I like that you talk about how we can’t just wait to get done everything and think we’ll be happy then. Naturally that doesn’t occur. People need to learn to be happy DURING the process, during the work, and while they are grinding it out.
I’m not sure I like your questions, “Is increasing your productivity increasing your happiness?” Not that it isn’t a helpful question, just that it places too much importance on happiness as the end all and be all judge. We have the ability to choose to be happy regardless of the situation. In fact getting things done or not shouldn’t determine if you are happy.
Further, happiness shouldn’t be the determination of whether or not you do something. There is a value to work just for works sake. You may choose to do something even though you need to give up other things because of the contribution that it will make to others, not necessarily because it will or will not bring happiness. There are great goals and purposes than happiness.
Corey - Simple Marriage Project Says:
September 16th, 2008, 17:41 pm
I have gone years now without wearing a watch. It’s been great. Helped me to stay in the moment and not worry about the next thing. If I’m a bit late to things, so be it. It’s better to slow down and enjoy than to rush through everything and miss life.
Maya Says:
September 16th, 2008, 18:22 pm
Time is Life. Time is not just what we do. It is also how we feel. And if we are honest with ourselves about how we feel about what we are doing, I think we are less likely to fall victim to the Clock. I really like your suggestions 1, 2 and 3.
Thanks!
"Motivate Thyself" Says:
September 16th, 2008, 18:37 pm
“Painting, laying out on the beach, and other non time-based activities are considered a horrendous sin against productivity.”
This is always an interesting subject. I think it can go both ways and there is never a definitive answer. Referring to the quote above, I think that we see the ‘laying out on the beach’ picture dangled in front of us for both scenarios.
On the one hand you have those who say you have to work really hard and make a lot of money so you can _____(insert quote).
Then you have those who say, simplify your life, stop being a slave to productivity and kick back and _____(insert quote).
Jonathan, I think you did a good job of balancing these two perspectives. Combining simplicity with smart productivity allows us the best chance at a healthy, rewarding lifestyle.
Nathalie Lussier from Billionaire Woman Says:
September 16th, 2008, 19:04 pm
I love those times when I’m totally in the zone and it feels like only minutes have gone by. It’s almost as if time stops or slows down entirely. It happens when I’m reading a good book (novels) or when I’m designing or creating artwork. :)
Wilfred Joseph Says:
September 16th, 2008, 19:18 pm
Here at our B&B we encourage people to leave their Blackberrys behind, lose the organizer, not to use our wireless access and participate in what we offer- Wine tastings, aromatherapy baths and walking on the beach, laying on the beach, watching the sunrise or just sitting in the garden meditating, or doing nothing.
Here in the Wine Country on the North Fork of Long Island in New York “the un-Hamptons” we take the laid back approach. We move slower and take things a lot less seriously.
We are 90 miles or two hours from the Big Apple (the fastest moving city with more movers and shakers per square mile) we get people who really don’t know any other way but to squeeze something into every minute of every day.
I have made my mission these last 10 years through Yoga, meditation, exercise and the “The Practice of the Art of Doing Nothing” to teach my guests to breathe and just be. You can do it, even in this busy world.
banji - Lesson In Life Says:
September 16th, 2008, 19:25 pm
Productivity is a tricky word. Productive people always want to produce something from their time spent. In the end, exactly like you mentioned in the article, we will need to balance between productivity and happiness.
I’m sure a lot of people can find happiness with completing all tasks. I’m not sure though I am from that group of people. I definitely need that laying around on the beach from time to time.
Thanks for the article Jonathan.
Ryan McLean Says:
September 16th, 2008, 19:57 pm
I like how you said “Just be there”. I am a photographer and often you can miss enjoying the moment or the view because you are too busy trying to capture it with your camera.
It is the same with working online, when you aren’t working you are thinking about work and what you are planning to do next. Live in the moment and you will have a more enjoyable and a happier life
Harmony Says:
September 16th, 2008, 20:09 pm
Great post Jonathan, thank you :) Easy and fun to read and very poignant. I found this bit particularly spoke to me, it’s a trap I have to be careful of not falling into sometimes…
“The point of getting things done is not to have more time to get things done. It’s to have more time for the things you truly enjoy.”
I LOVE having time-out from life though, I think it’s essential. This year I’ve finally achieved my dream of working 4 days a week and it’s just heavenly to have that day in the middle of the week to do nothing, or everything, depending on how I feel.
I think relaxation is so critical to happiness. Work hard play hard is my mantra. I mean there’s no point working working working all the time and never having any fun, you just decrease your usefulness anyway, you have to “recharge your batteries” on a daily basis.
Thanks again for this great post :)!
Harmony
Kiki Says:
September 16th, 2008, 20:29 pm
i agee with the first comment.
i am overwhelmed right now.
and a weeeeeeeeeeeee bit of an overachiever.
i stress over everything.
:-S
thanks!
Johnny Says:
September 16th, 2008, 23:33 pm
“Time is Life.” I like that. Our priorities are mixed up when our drive for productivity is directed towards just increasing the amount of work we can do and the amount of money we can earn. Productivity should be helping us increase the time we have to live life.
Ryan Says:
September 16th, 2008, 23:55 pm
The part about not having to go on every ride when visiting a theme park hit the right cord for me. That’s sometimes my inner urge, and I don’t like it. Sometimes, you don’t have to experience _everything_ and that’s ok.
Usman Says:
September 17th, 2008, 0:24 am
A number of useful points. Makes you want to start analyzing and improving the way you do things.
Usman
Jonathan Mead Says:
September 17th, 2008, 1:36 am
@ Ryan: I think it’s often when we want to do *everything* that we end up experiencing nothing.
@ Harmony: That’s awesome. I’m trying to cut down to 4 days a week by the end of next month.
Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:
September 17th, 2008, 2:16 am
One of the biggest problems facing our culture is a newfound belief that we can and should be all things to all people all the time. It’s the reason so many of us find ourselves with more and more responsibilities sooner rather than later. Why not just say no? There’s no shame in admitting you’re not superhuman simply because none of us are. And there’s no shame in admitting you can’t handle the pressure. Earlier this year I naively thought I was capable of simultaneously writing an honours thesis in finance and preparing for a solo piano recital. After a few weeks of waking up at 04:30, I chose to cancel the concert and stop pushing so hard. In the end, the focus let me excel in both fields (and keep myself from going insane).
J.D. Meier Says:
September 17th, 2008, 2:55 am
Time is life. I like how we can make time stand still or the years can fly by. It’s all relative.
The Lonely Savage Says:
September 17th, 2008, 5:52 am
Wonderful!
Even though I didn’t recognize myself in any of the five warning signs, much of the advise rang true and sounded very helpful to me, especially this one: “Is increasing your productivity increasing your happiness?”. Too often we lose track of what makes us happy just by focusing on getting things done faster and more efficiently. I know that I’d much rather spend time with friends and family than to be writing yet another blog entry, but still I find myself in front of the computer, typing away just to meet a quota that I’ve only imposed on myself.
Sincerely,
The Lonely Savage
tigerbee Says:
September 17th, 2008, 7:29 am
Painting to me IS being productive! I also try to adopt the no watch on the weekends habit. My weekends feel so much longer when I’m not constantly looking at my watch and counting down the hours till I have to go back to the 9-5. Just not wearing a watch is so liberating. And eating when you feel hungry instead of at noontime and taking a nap when you feel sleepy, getting in touch with how YOU feel is so important.
Miss Attica Says:
September 17th, 2008, 7:49 am
Like many others here I haven’t been wearing a watch for many years. Also, a few years ago, I stopped using an alarmclock for getting up in the morning. Now I wake up at the right time, and ususally feel renewed and ready for another day. We need to have goals in our lives, but the ability to really relax is just as important, maybe more. So we should really practice, right…
Miss Attica Says:
September 17th, 2008, 7:52 am
Like many others here I haven’t been wearing a watch for many years. Also, a few years ago, I stopped using an alarmclock for getting up in the morning. Now I wake up at the right time, and ususally feel renewed and ready for another day. We need to have goals in our lives, but the ability to really relax is just as important, maybe more. So we should really practice, right…
Dave Dragon Says:
September 17th, 2008, 8:25 am
As a long distance Motorcycle rider I tend to use the clock as a gage for my progress along a route and thats about it.
One can become a slave to the clock if not careful to to keep time and ones own time based expectations in check.
Great article, thanks
Ride it like you stole it
Elizabeth Potts Weinstein Says:
September 17th, 2008, 9:14 am
I was having trouble just enjoying the fun parts of my life, because I was constantly thinking about the next thing on my to-do list, checking my watch every few minutes to find out how much time I had left before the next thing.
So I stopped wearing a watch.
I still carry an iPhone, so (assuming that the battery is not dead) I still can get the time, but it’s a two step process of taking it out of my bag & turning it on. Two opportunities to say to myself, “does it matter to know what the time is right now?”
And if I don’t have to be anywhere, if I’m walking on the beach or at the playground with my daughter, then the answer is no. I can just enjoy the now of the moment.
~ ElizabethPW
Michael Moniz Says:
September 17th, 2008, 9:57 am
Letting go of the clock can be scary for many people. In the MBTI scale of J and P, J’s have a hard time without the clock.
It is all about learning to set your own structure. This really allows you to control your life so you can live the life you have always dreamed of.
I think it is a commitment to give up the clock and learn to trust yourself and your time. You can never get your time back.
Someone Someone Says:
September 17th, 2008, 11:22 am
Time is an illusion, there is only NOW.
And something I recently read somewhere on teh internetz:
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery but today is a gift…that’s why we call it present.”
Vintage Mommy Says:
September 17th, 2008, 13:49 pm
I like the notion that “Time is Life”, but I’m working in the opposite direction right now in terms of productivity.
I have such a problem with focus and a complete lack of awareness for how long things really take. I’m actually planning my day hour by hour - at least for a while - hoping it will alleviate the “where did the last 90 minutes go?” syndrome.
I’m making sure that some of those hours are for relaxing pursuits!
Betsy Says:
September 18th, 2008, 11:45 am
As a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom, I often feel as if the clock is more of a timer on a bomb. I am always just waiting for time to run out, rather than calmly going about my business. Regarding time equaling money, I just asked myself the other day, what would you rather waste, time or money. The answer was easy: Money.
Pete Says:
September 18th, 2008, 16:55 pm
I´m in a job where I can choose how many days this or any other week will hold for work or play, so I really don´t have any worries there. What took me to this point was actually moving my office out of “the office”and into a laptop/cell-phone combo of mobility, where I am the boss of things.
But I am the steward of some 650 social educators, who don´t have that opportunity in thier daily lives, as they are restricted to being in one workplace, boss breathing down their necks.
So even though I easily hold a 1-4 hour/day week, they don´t. Some are not as lucky as the rest of us. Cutting down on productivity is cutting down on changing diaphers or teaching kids. A very different scheme, wich is why I suspect this post was not for their kind.. even though it´s great.
That said, I have tried life with/without a watch, to be litteral about this, and I don´t find it to be any different from eachother. ( how many of you just end up glansing at your phone every 15 mins.?)
The only thing that really matters, is the ability to say: NO!! Once in awhile. and then of course ask yourself if this ( work ) is really what you wanna do…
Funny; the saying with the baby is the exact same in Danish.
P.
Grace Says:
September 22nd, 2008, 0:21 am
A motivational speaker once told me, “You need to be wealthy, because what money will buy you is time and space.” Aha! What your post says, and what I totally agree with is: why not settle for the time and space and forget about the money?! Got me to thinking, your post did. G.
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