January 27th is National Punch the Clock Day and this has me thinking about time, productivity and how much one can actually achieve in one day at work.

If you’re like me, you just grabbed a cup of coffee and started answering emails. Suddenly it’s lunchtime and you feel like you’ve got nothing done. Afternoon meetings wreak havoc on your productivity and now it’s 3:00 and that to-do list is so long you don’t know where to begin.

Whether you work a 9-5 type of job or not, you can probably relate to a day such as this. Or maybe you’ve experienced that feeling when work is a little bit slow, you’re bored and the minutes seem to drag on like hours?

Why is that and what can I do about it? Let’s look at physical theories and mental theories about time warps. Then I will make some suggestions for you to try out; see if they help you balance your time-work ratio.

Physics: Einstein, Hawking and the Theory of Relativity

time travel

First of all, let’s start with the theory that space and time are inseparable. In his lecture on space and time warps, Hawking explains how space and time are connected, “General Relativity was a major intellectual revolution that has transformed the way we think about the universe. It is a theory not only of curved space, but of curved or warped time as well. Einstein had realized in 1905, that space and time, are intimately connected with each other.”

First of all, let’s start with the theory that space and time are inseparable. In his lecture on space and time warps, Hawking explains how space and time are connected, “General Relativity was a major intellectual revolution that has transformed the way we think about the universe. It is a theory not only of curved space, but of curved or warped time as well. Einstein had realized in 1905, that space and time, are intimately connected with each other. “

Einstein’s theory of relativity argues that massive objects (like Earth) cause a distortion in space-time which is felt as gravity. Did you ever see a gravity well at the museum of science as a kid? When you spin that marble along the outer edge, it moves faster and faster as it falls into the hole and it would be impossible for the marble to get itself back out again.

Time and space are relative to each individual because our minds don’t restrict themselves to one time and/or one space. If you’re busy, moving along and spinning towards your goal or something pleasurable, time speeds up and you can lose yourself in the moment. If you’re sitting in one place, staring at the clock time slows down and you find yourself forever stuck in that moment.

Neuroscience: McTaggart, Eagleman and the Senses

Time Travel

John McTaggart was an idealist metaphysician who published “The Unreality of Time” in 1908. In this work he determined that our perception of time is an illusion and that time itself is an ideal.  He introduced two new ways of looking at time: A theory and B theory. The “A Theory” is time as we know it: a past, a present and a future. Only the future can be changed. The “B Theory” argues that the past, present and future are equally real and that time is tenseness.  

Time isn’t so much a sense as a perception. Keeping time isn’t processed the same way by human beings as our other senses like tasting or touching. Our brains take a bunch of information from our senses and present it in a way that makes sense to our brains before we even perceive it.

Time Travel

Neuroscientist David Eagleman says, “When our brains receive new information, it doesn’t necessarily come in the proper order. This information needs to be reorganized and presented to us in a form we understand. When familiar information is processed, this doesn’t take much time at all. New information, however, is a bit slower and makes time feel elongated.”

So, the longer this process takes, the longer that period of time feels. That’s why when you’re multitasking at work, in a job you are familiar with, time flies. However, if you’re bored with your work on a slow afternoon, time drags because your mind is freed up to pay more attention, leading to a perception of a longer period of time. Scientists are also finding that emotion, age and even temperature can affect how we perceive time.

Reality: what can you do about it?

time travel

Is our concept of time physical or neurological? Does it have to do with your place in time and your connection to what motivates you? Or does it have to do with your perception of new information? Maybe it’s a combination of everything.

If you want to slow down your busy day that is flying by, try being spontaneous. Surprises make us pay attention and heighten our senses, slowing down our internal clock. Take a walk to somewhere new, make a new friend or find a way to break out of the norm. Do the biggest task on your to-do list first thing in the morning. Cross off something on your own agenda before you start attacking those emails and getting wrapped up in other people’s agendas. Supposedly, colder temperatures make time seem to slow down. Listen to a new playlist or eat at a new restaurant for lunch.

If you want to speed up a slow, dragging day try doing something more familiar. Try to rid your mind of personal problems that you cannot control. A good night sleep and a healthy meal can help you focus on tasks at hand instead of how many minutes until lunchtime. Try not to eat at your desk; change up the scenery. Set rewards for yourself at specific intervals. A walk at 11 or a cup of tea at 3 can break up the day. Look for side projects within your comfort zone or reorganize your desk. Bundle up, some believe warmer temperatures speed up time. Sing along to songs that you already know and love to help pass the time.