How you Perceive Time Changes Everything

WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR EXPERIENCE OF TIME, YOU WILL FEEL LESS RUSHED AND STRESSED.

Do you ever feel like there’s just never enough time? Balancing a business, your personal life and other responsibilities can be overwhelming. Then social pressures and expectations add another layer of complexity to managing time. But what if the way you perceive time could transform how you feel and the actions you take?

By changing your perception of time, you can change your experience of each moment.

When I’m busy, my day can go one of two ways. I’m either slightly tense all day waiting for it to end or I feel grateful for the opportunity to do the things I’ve chosen to have in my life and I can steadily get through the day with a sense of ease.

Ok, it’s taken me a long time to practice the latter but I can drop into it when I feel that growing sense of rushing, panic and confusion that can often accompany the thought “I haven’t got enough time for this.”

Recognising the Source of Time Related Stress

The first step in changing our perception of time is recognising where feelings of agitation, exhaustion, and stress come from. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll notice that it is our own perception of time that causes so much angst. While there are outside pressures like work deadlines or a loved one’s birthday, it’s how we show up to these events that creates our reality. Observing how different people manage their time reveals that there’s no one way to experience life. This understanding can transform a stressful relationship with time into one where you are in charge and can truly take your time.

Introducing Einstein Time

One concept that can help you feel more empowered, focused, and less stressed is called Einstein Time. Coined by Gay Hendricks in his book The Big Leap, Einstein Time shifts you from feeling like a victim of time to being its master. Time is not your enemy. It’s a resource that you create and control. With this new mindset, you can navigate your day with greater ease and success.

Take a moment now to reflect on how you perceive time…

What is your relationship with time? Who’s in charge? How does it make you feel? How can you can start taking control or time?

“You are where time comes from, you can make as much of it as you want.”

*Gay Henricks*

How To Master Time

Here are some practical ways you can change your perception of time to your advantage.

Mindful time management

Mindfulness shows us how to be in the present, rather than worrying about the future or ruminating on the past. This approach is your best friend when it comes to seeing and managing your time. Firstly you can only do one thing at a time. Despite decades of trying to multitask myself, I know that if I want to do something well so that I don’t have to revisit it, I need to put all of my attention on to it without any other distractions.

Ironically while writing this piece, I started feeling overwhelmed with the different points I wanted to make, so I actually took myself away from my desk, sat quietly and reset my mind. I had to take a moment to put this into practice myself 😄 out mind can so easily take us on a journey of it’s own, saying very unhelpful things to us.

Once you recognise that and realise they are just thoughts, you can override them and simply focus on the one thing you have to do next. Giving it your utterly undivided attention and care.

You’ll be surprised at how much more you can get done this way. I also love that in every moment we have the opportunity to begin again. So be kind to yourself as you explore time in a different way.

Turn scarcity into abundance

A scarcity mindset is the belief that time is limited. This can make you feel fear, stress, and competition. In contrast, an abundance mindset embraces the idea that there are enough time, which can lead to co-operation, creativity, and a sense of peace.

When you feel that pressure that there’s not enough time, you’re actually reinforcing the belief that time is scarce, and that scarcity mindset. In that state you can feel like you’re always behind.

And when you say to yourself things like “I’ll never get everything done” or “I don’t have enough time”, notice what emotions are present.

To turn this feeling around, start to play with a different way of seeing time. Be curious about how you can shape time. That you have the power to create time and to prioritise tasks effectively. See time as something you can control, and notice what happens.

You can also intentionally use different language, for example “I have all the time I need for what matters most” or “I am focusing on one thing at a time, with all my care”

Time and space

Give yourself the space you need to get done what’s important. Take a moment to consider when you do your best work, what time are you most energised and what resources do you need.

Think about what aromas make you feel good. What sounds do you need or not need in your environment while you’re working?

Check in with your body, does it need water? Are you hungry? Do you need to move your body? Perhaps to shake it out? Actually, here is a very short full body shake exercise which I do a lot to move stuck heavy energy and feel more in flow with myself. Shaking is one of the best things you can do for your body to release stress and tension.

All of these things impact our ability to focus, so when we take our whole self into account every day we can be more aligned and grounded. More focused and contented.