You 2.0: Taking Control of Your Time

At a Glance

• Importance of Time Management - “When we’re thinking about this resource, it makes us spend more deliberately in ways that are aligned with our values.” Emphasizes the importance of being intentional with how we spend our time.

• Impact of Multitasking - “I was distracted by my to-do list. The less mindful we are about how we deploy our time, the more we feel stressed out and over-scheduled.” Shows how multitasking can lead to feeling overwhelmed and distracted.

• Good Samaritan Study - “When people felt they had scarce time, they were less likely to stop and help someone.” Demonstrates how feeling rushed can impact our willingness to help others.

• Counting Moments of Joy - “Count how many times have you done that in your life so far, and then to count how many times do you have left to do it in your life.” Encourages reflecting on and savoring moments of joy in life.

What to Do

• “Treat your weekends like a vacation” - This advice can lead to increased happiness by encouraging individuals to fully engage in activities and be present in the moment, similar to how they would on a vacation.

• “Stop and smell the roses” - Taking the time to appreciate the present moment and be mindful of one’s surroundings can lead to a greater sense of happiness and fulfillment in life.

• “Track how you spend your time” - By keeping a detailed record of how time is spent and evaluating the level of happiness and satisfaction associated with each activity, individuals can identify which activities bring them the most joy and prioritize those in their daily lives.

What to Get

• Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most by Cassie Holmes - Amazon - To understand the concept of treating weekends like vacations. (Author: Cassie Holmes)

Summary

The podcast episode features a conversation between Cassie Holmes, a social psychologist at UCLA, and Shankar Vedantam, the host of Hidden Brain. Cassie discusses her research on the relationship between time and well-being, highlighting how our perceptions of time can influence the way we spend it. She shares a personal anecdote about a moment of insight she had while rushing through her day, realizing the importance of being present and savoring the moment. This led her to track how she spent her time and identify activities that brought her the most happiness.

Cassie also delves into the concept of time scarcity and how it can impact our behavior and decision-making. She explains the “yes-damn effect,” where people overcommit to future tasks because they believe they will have more time later on. She suggests using a purpose or happiness filter to evaluate whether a task is worth doing, rather than just considering how busy one might be in the future. Additionally, Cassie encourages seeking out moments of transcendence, such as experiencing awe, to shift perspective and expand one’s sense of time.

Overall, the episode explores the importance of reevaluating our relationship with time and making deliberate choices that align with our values and bring us joy. Cassie’s research emphasizes the significance of being mindful of how we spend our time, recognizing the preciousness of moments before they pass, and finding ways to break free from the constraints of time scarcity to lead a more fulfilling life.