Tip Tuesday – Episode 41

Becoming More Aware of Time

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to Tip Tuesday, Episode 41.

Since we had our Real Life Wednesday episode yesterday, today we're going to catch up and do the Tip Tuesday I originally planned.

Tomorrow we'll have Thought Shift Thursday, and then we'll be right back on track.

Today, we're talking about time blindness, or the lack of awareness of time passing, and some practical strategies that can help us become more aware of time and work with our brains instead of against them.

What Is Time Blindness?

Time blindness is the lack of awareness of time passing.

In other words, your internal sense of time doesn't always match what the clock says.

You might think only five minutes have passed when it has actually been thirty.

Or you might think a task will only take fifteen minutes, and an hour later, you're still working on it.

Time blindness can also show up when you're so focused on something that you lose track of time completely.

Maybe you're working on a project you really enjoy, and before you know it, you've forgotten to eat, drink water, or even go to the bathroom.

If any of those sound familiar, you're definitely not alone.

One More Thing-itis

One of the biggest ways time blindness shows up for me is something I call one more thing-itis.

I'm getting ready to leave, and I think,

"Oh, I have time for just one more thing."

Maybe it's answering one email.

Emptying the dishwasher.

Sending one text.

Or folding laundry.

It seems like it will only take a minute or two.

Before I know it, I'm running late.

Because I know this is one of the things I do, I've built a system that works for me.

When I schedule appointments, I put them on my calendar 15 minutes earlier than I actually need to be there.

I also try to leave 15 minutes earlier than I think I need to.

And when I'm estimating my driving time, I give myself at least an additional 15-minute buffer.

Now, just because I say I want to be there 15 minutes early and try to leave 15 minutes early doesn't necessarily mean I will actually leave 15 minutes early.

But because I've built those extra buffers into my schedule, I usually end up arriving on time.

That is what works for me.

When Tasks Take Longer Than Expected

Time blindness doesn't only affect getting somewhere on time.

It can also affect how we estimate the time it takes to complete a task.

Have you ever looked at something and thought,

"Oh, that will only take about 15 minutes."

Then an hour...

or even an hour and a half later...

you're still working on it?

Sometimes we don't account for all the little steps, interruptions, or transitions that happen along the way.

Our internal estimate simply doesn't match reality.

Making Time More Visible

One thing that has really helped me is making time more visible instead of relying only on my internal sense of it.

That is where timers can be incredibly helpful.

Today, I want to show you a few of the timers I use.

One timer has preset buttons for:

• 3 minutes
• 5 minutes
• 10 minutes
• 15 minutes
• 25 minutes
• 30 minutes

I also have another timer with different preset times.

The nice thing about this one is that you simply flip it over to select the time.

It also has a visual circle around the outside.

And I have another timer that is completely customizable, so I can set it for however much time I need.

These timers show time in two different ways.

In the middle, you can see the exact number of minutes remaining.

Around the outside, a circle gradually gets smaller as time passes.

So you have the digital time, but you also have a visual representation of how much time is left.

That can be helpful because you aren't only reading a number.

You can actually see the time decreasing.

For time awareness in general, an analog clock—one with hands—can sometimes be more helpful than a digital clock because it gives you a visual picture of time passing.

I also have a kitchen timer.

It is magnetic, so I can keep it on the refrigerator or any other magnetic surface.

It also comes with a lanyard, so I can carry it with me if I want to move around while using it.

Depending on what works best for you, you might use:

• A kitchen timer
• A visual timer
• Your phone
• A digital watch
• A smartwatch
• An analog watch or clock
• Your oven timer

I also love that my oven has a cook-time feature that automatically shuts itself off.

That means I don't have to rely on remembering to check it, and I don't have to worry as much about losing track of time while something is cooking.

The best timer is the one you will actually notice, use, and respond to.

The Pomodoro Technique

Another strategy that can be super helpful is the Pomodoro Technique.

Traditionally, you work for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break.

After completing four 25-minute work sessions, you take a longer break, usually around 15 to 30 minutes.

Those breaks give your brain an opportunity to rest and reset before your attention starts to fade.

If you're someone who tends to get lost in a project, setting the timer before you begin can also help remind you to pause.

It gives you a chance to:

• Stretch
• Drink some water
• Eat something if you need to
• Go to the bathroom
• Or simply check in with yourself before jumping back into your work

The traditional Pomodoro Technique uses 25-minute work sessions and 5-minute breaks.

But that doesn't mean everyone has to use those exact times every time they use a timer.

Like I showed you, the timers I use have different preset times.

Some people may do better with 15 minutes.

Others might prefer 30 minutes.

The goal is to find a work-and-break rhythm that fits your brain and the task you're working on.

Track Your Time

Another strategy that has helped me is tracking how long things actually take.

Instead of guessing, I measure.

You can use:

• A stopwatch
• A timer
• A time-tracking app
• Or even a simple piece of paper

There are multiple free time-tracking apps available, but writing down your start and end times works just as well.

The goal isn't to track every minute of every day forever.

It is simply to gather information.

You might discover that getting ready in the morning actually takes 35 minutes instead of 20.

Or that cleaning the kitchen only takes 12 minutes instead of the hour you imagined.

Tracking your time can also help you recognize where your time went during the day.

I don't do it consistently, but when I have used it, it has helped me understand how long activities actually take.

The more often you track that information, the better you can become at estimating time.

Action Step

If time blindness—or becoming more aware of how quickly or slowly time is passing—is something you want to work on, choose one strategy to try.

Maybe that's:

• Using a timer
• Trying the Pomodoro Technique
• Adding buffers to your schedule
• Or logging one or two activities so you can learn how long they actually take

You can use an app, a stopwatch, a timer, or simply write it down on a piece of paper.

Notice what works best for you.

The goal is to become more aware of the passage of time and create supports that fit the way your brain works.

Closing

Thank you for spending a little bit of your day with me.

Until next time, I will see you for Thought Shift Thursday.

Until then, I hope today's tip helps you create a little more clarity, feel a little more calm, and have a little more confidence. 💜💚