TIME AS POWER
“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life” - Steve Jobs
Throughout history, time has been an important subject of inquiry in religion, philosophy, and science. At its most basic level, time refers to the ordering of events into a sequence—past, present, and future. We measure these intervals using human-defined units such as seconds, minutes, hours, and days. Time has also been understood in relation to space, particularly through the concept of spacetime. In modern physics, spacetime is a mathematical framework that combines the three dimensions of space—length, width, and height—with one dimension of time into a single four-dimensional structure. Rather than treating space and time as separate backgrounds in which events occur, spacetime describes them as interconnected aspects of a unified whole. In this sense, space and time are not entirely separate; together, they form the fabric of the universe. Our experience of time, however, is highly subjective. An hour can seem to pass extremely slowly when we are bored and yet feel remarkably short when we are deeply engaged in an activity. This distinction between measured time and experienced time is also reflected in philosophical traditions. In Advaita Vedanta, time is considered part of the phenomenal world, which lacks independent reality. Both time and the phenomenal world are understood as expressions of maya—the appearance or illusion shaped by our senses, concepts, and imagination.
The Importance of Time Management
In our daily lives, we experience time as something that is constantly moving forward, making effective time management an essential skill. Time management is the process of planning and organizing how we use our time to improve efficiency and productivity. When we use our time effectively, we have greater control over our activities and can accomplish important tasks without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Effective time management can help us:
Increase productivity and accomplish more tasks.
Reduce stress caused by last-minute work.
Consistently meet deadlines.
Improve focus and minimize distractions.
Create more time for hobbies, family, and relaxation.
Make steady progress toward long-term goals.
Developing good time-management habits involves several important practices:
First, if you feel overwhelmed or stressed, refer to the two other sessions, “Calm” and “Overwhelmed.”
Step away from your workspace or office and take a short walk. Physically removing yourself from your work environment can help lower your stress level. When you return, sit down, take a few deep breaths, and try to keep your body still—avoid moving or fidgeting—for about 30 seconds. Give yourself a moment to settle and regain your composure.
Once you feel calmer, look at your projects or to-do list as though you are viewing them from a distance. Try to detach yourself emotionally from the tasks and simply observe what needs to be done. This can help you approach your workload with greater clarity and less stress.
Set clear goals: Identify what you want to accomplish and establish specific objectives.
Prioritize tasks: Complete the most important and urgent tasks before focusing on less important ones.
Plan your day: Use a calendar, planner, or to-do list to organize and schedule your activities.
Avoid procrastination: Break large or challenging tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
Minimize distractions: Turn off unnecessary notifications and create an environment that supports concentration.
Take regular breaks: Short breaks can help maintain focus, improve concentration, and prevent burnout.
Review your progress: Reflect on what worked well, identify areas for improvement, and adjust your plans when necessary.
By developing discipline and using these strategies consistently, we can make better use of our time, reduce unnecessary stress, and create a healthier balance between work, responsibilities, and personal life.
Don’t Have Enough Time? Here’s What You Should Do
When you don’t have enough time, stop trying to do everything. Focus on what matters most:
Pick your top priorities: Choose only the most important tasks that must get done today.
Block out distractions: Put your phone away and turn off notifications so you can focus on your main task.
Do quick tasks first: Handle small tasks that take less than five minutes right away, so they don’t clutter your mind.
Say no and postpone: Push less important tasks to another day. Important doesn’t always mean urgent.
WHAT IS TIME
PREPARATION
Start by listening to the audio session, then watch the short video(s).
GUIDED SESSION
Use headphones for optimal sound
Time is an Illusion
Cognitions about time affect perception, behavior, and physiology. Sven Thönes, et. al. Consciousness and Cognition. V. 63. P. 99-109. August 2018.
Time perception, attention, and memory. Richard A. Block, et.al. Acta Psychologica. V. 149. P. 129-133. June 2014.
Human time perception and its illusions. David M Eagleman. Curr Opin Neurobiol. V. 18, Issue 2. P. 131-136. April 2008.
The Internal Clock: Evidence for a Temporal Oscillator Underlying Time Perception with Some Estimates of its Characteristic Frequency. Michel Treisman, et.al. Perception. V. 19, Issue 6.
The Internal Clock: Electroencephalographic Evidence for Oscillatory Processes Underlying Time Perception. Michel Treisman. Q J Exp Psychol A. V. 47, Issue 2. May 1994.
Relativity Theory and Time Perception: Single or Multiple Clocks. Catalin V. Buhusi, et. al. Duke University, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. 2009.