Why I’m Killing the Clock
October 13, 2009
Post by Justin Dixon Follow me on Twitter Photo Courtesy of D.G. Oakill
“Time is an illusion, lunch time doubly so.”~Douglas Adams
Modern society with its constant pushes forward has put productivity and time management center stage, and with good reason. These things keep us from having schedule clashes, help us complete our goals, and when used properly can give us more time to do the things that really matter to us. Unfortunately there is also a price to be payed for all of this productivity. We have become addicted to schedules and man-made frames of time.
How many clocks do you have in your home? (microwave, oven, computer, vcr, and of course clocks for just telling time) How long can you go just waiting without looking at a clock?
I think that we’ve got ourselves so caught up in to keeping track of the time so we will know what to do, that our view of time has become very skewed. This is why, starting next week, all clock displays in my apartment will be covered. This will continue for at least 2-3 weeks.
Now I’ve not done this without thinking about it. Here’s how I intend to do this. All time displays will be covered with a small piece of black paper. Alarms will be kept on so that I can still set them to go off when I need to get ready, and I will still use the alarms on my cell phone to let me know when it is time to start getting ready for something.
A few quick notes on what I expect to happen.
Schedules will be kept. As long as I can set an alarm than I will still know when I need to start getting ready for something.
Chores will still be finished on time. In order to do this I will be writing down what I need to do for that day in order of the times that they need to be done by, and their importance. I will than get through the list so that I can spend the rest of my time however I choose.
The world will not end. At least not because of me not knowing what the exact time is.
Things I hope to gain by this.
- A healthier perspective on time.
- Enjoyment of my time at home without needing to check the clock
- Learn to not worry about time and simply let it be.
I don’t expect you to do this, but I do ask that you think about what I have said here. Do you think our relationship with time is healthy? Do you have any concerns? Do you have any advice on handling time?
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1.
Susan | October 13, 2009 at 6:59 pm
You know, Justin – this is a great experiment and I will look forward to how it turns out for you! I like your assertion that “the world will not end”. What a terrific example of “letting go” and “allowing life to unfold naturally”.
Your idea of setting alarms to get you where you need to go answers the one question I had about this project.
I’m looking forward to hearing about what you learn in doing this!
2.
Positively Present | October 13, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Looking forward to seeing how it turns out! Great idea!
3.
Tristan Lee | October 14, 2009 at 3:39 am
I don’t even know if time really exists. I think it’s man made. Nevertheless, we are prisoners of time in our society. Everywhere we go, we manage time in some way, shape, our form and this causes an obsession that’s sometimes unhealthy for our living.
Have you ever seen a couple sitting on a bench holding hands and looking at the sunset? Well that’s an image I have for true happiness. They don’t care about time, they are just living in the moment and “letting time be” as you say.
Thanks for sharing this Dustin and good luck with your 2-3 week experiment.
4.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 14, 2009 at 9:38 am
Thank you Tristan, that is what I am hoping to achieve more of, though I only know one way to find out, and thats to test it.
5.
Arvind Devalia | October 14, 2009 at 11:39 am
Great idea Justin and I look forward to finding out how you get on.
I have just mentally counted the number of clocks in my home and including the computer and my mobile phone it is 5.
And they all usually give me a different time!
A while ago I decided to not bother synchronising and figured that as long as they were not way out, I will be okay in getting to my next appointment etc.
And there in lies the crux of the matter. We are always trying to get somewhere!
6.
Dayne | TheHappySelf.com | October 14, 2009 at 11:44 am
Great idea Justin and I will be curious to see how it all goes for you. Anytime we can “declutter” our lives with anything electronic or a reminder of “time” I think it is always positive. :)
Thanks again,
Dayne
7.
lara | October 14, 2009 at 1:56 pm
It’s funny how we seem to be so obsessed with never having enough time and yet we’re always looking at the clock. I’m looking forward to reading how this experiment works for you.
8.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 14, 2009 at 3:24 pm
And I will be happy to let you know. Thanks for the comment ^__^
9.
Karlil | October 14, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Realistically speaking, I don’t think it can be done. Unless if you’re not working. To completely eradicate time from our life is not sensible. Would be best if we take a moderate approach on it, just like everything else. With that said, however, I would love to see how it’s going for you. Do keep us updated.
10.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 14, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Not from life, from my home, when its time to relax, and I’m not sure how far it can be done either. Also I will be starting this the same week I start work. So this claim will be tested. This is why I am going to find out.
11.
Belinda Munoz | October 14, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I like the questions you ask at the end of your post. I think that getting older has given me a healthier perspective on time and how truly limited and valuable it is.
Good luck!
12.
Jeffrey Tang | October 14, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Now -this- is an experiment I want to follow :) I wonder if it would be possible to take it a bit further and turn off the alarms as well. Would you still be able to get things done if all you could rely on was your own internal sense of urgency?
Keeping time is pretty addicting … I got along fine with no watch for years, but after getting a cell phone, I’m always pulling it out to check what time it is.
Keep experimenting! That’s how we grow.
13.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 14, 2009 at 10:14 pm
The reason why I’m keeping the alarms is that I do still have to make appointments and I will be starting work the same week that I start this. Time does serve a legitimate purpose, I’m just put off by the addiction to it.
14.
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome | October 15, 2009 at 3:12 am
I’ve been talking this month about time management and taking more time for yourself.
When I lived in France for a year on sabbatical I totally ignored the clock doing what I wanted when I wanted, including sleeping patterns.
It was great fun and the best way to unwind after several years of running-running-running.
15.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 15, 2009 at 8:47 am
Great insight Alex. That gives me something to look forward to in the next few weeks ^__^
16.
Miche - Serenity Hacker | October 17, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I can’t wait to hear how this turns out. I used to refuse to own a watch, but now I have a phone which always displays the time, and it seems these days the time is everywhere we look!
I’m really curious what you’ll discover after doing this. Glad you’re going to share it!
17.
Justin- AlittleBetter | October 17, 2009 at 8:28 pm
See I don’t know if I’ll be able to cut out the phone, but one of the displays doesn’t work very well, and most of the time I forget about it, so I don’t really have any problem with that one.
I think its my responsibility to try out things like this, and report on it. That is one of the reasons why I write personal development.
18.
Jennifer | October 23, 2009 at 10:02 am
“Time is an illusion, lunch time doubly so.”~Douglas Adams
The best quote ever from the whold hitch-hiker series.
I’ll admit, in trying this experiment, the only really assurence that I get is the fact that I cling to my one time-peice that I have left (my watch) for my few ounces of sanity. I think by now though I’ve gotten pretty used to the clocks being covered. You still don’t have me fully convinced that it needs to be done for quite so long, however, I’ll give it a sporting college try. I figured at this point the only reason why I’m putting some input in is because it was me you had to convince in the first place to play with this little experiment.
So far, its not bothered me too much and hasn’t disrupted my life. I’m hoping this will actually help the both of us be better people in the long run, since it actually forces me to think about time management a bit better.