Where did the time go?
If you are wondering if you slipped into a worm hole in a parallel universe and got dumped back on planet earth having only just realised you should have put the Christmas stockings back in the loft, yet the shops are festooned with chocolate bunnies, then fear not. You are definitely not alone. March is here already. How can that be?
Our perception of time is something that fascinates me. Lots of different factors come into play when it comes to how we perceive the passing of time, and our time memory is important here. Certain events are more memorable than others and help us to 'plot' time. For example, if I asked you where you were when the first lockdown was announced, or when the Queen died you may well have a clear memory of that. But when asked what we had for dinner last Saturday most of us would be scrolling through the rolodex of the brain and coming up with a big fat zero. It's not an unusual enough event for it to be stored in our time memory. If on the other hand, you were being wined and dined in the Eiffel tower, I'm rather more hopeful that you would be less hazy on the details!
We kill time. We save time. We borrow and get robbed of time. We lose time. We have all the time in the world. So many different sayings about time, but I like this one by Dr Seuss who wrote the cat in the hat.
It can feel scary to think that we are missing weeks, months and even years of our lives because of time seemingly passing so quickly. But there's good news! There is a remedy, and it's accessible to you right now, for free, forever.
Researchers found that when we experience awe we can feel very differently about time. Studies that began in 2012 have shown that when we regularly feel in awe we also feel:
We have more time available to us
We are less impatient
We are more willing to volunteer our time to help others
We begin to prefer experiences over material things
We can have greater life satisfaction
Well this all sound rather marvellous doesn't it? But why? Why should awe cause these rather wonderful effects on us? It's so simple: experiences of joy bring us into the present moment. Our subjective experience of time is adjusted: time is slowed down.
So, if you're now thinking well that's all well and good but when do I ever get to experience awe? More good news incoming: practising present moment awareness (meditation) can help to show us how the mundane can become the marvellous. But also our basic sense of gratitude can shift too. A beautiful sunrise or the light gleaming off a puddle after a storm can be just as awe inspiring as visiting the Taj Mahal or seeing a baby being born. It's all about perspective you see. And when you have a regular practice, the relationship that you have to everything can change dramatically.
Your brain likes to spend time in the past (it's familiar, like a favourite pair of jeans) or the future (the next moment is always more important) but it can be trained. Trained to be in the present. If you haven't already decided to introduce your team to mindfulness and meditation, get in touch. I deliver workplace sessions virtually or in person. Increase your focus, and everyone’s productivity!