The experience of Time …

Note: The following words were written on Thursday 22nd June 2017.

In my last blog I mentioned how I would share insights into getting “flight upgrades” — especially as I was about to take another flight. However - truth be told - at this present moment in time I feel as if that blog will be for another time. I should realise not to ‘jump the gun’ with these blogs, because my normal approach is to just write at the time.

Ok so at this moment in time I am writing from the other side of the world! Currently sitting in Mumbai at a Starbucks Coffee shop (yes not exactly cultural, however as the Wi-Fi is free here, I am here!) trying to gather my feelings & thoughts of these past 7 days (with 3 days left). I’ve been east of the world for 7 days (Mumbai and Hong Kong) and yet it feels like it’s been much much longer than that.

(*A side story, I was just asked by a couple of Americans - dressed in local attire - about the Wi-Fi connection here in Starbucks, and then they were surprised to hear a response from a (supposedly!) a British accent (personally I think my accent is a little screwed). Long story short - they are exchange students here to experience the culture of India - because they heard that if they can survive India for a few months, then they can then survive anything that life throws at them! Interesting approach. They have been here just under a month with 1 month to go. I wished them well. The longest I have ever stayed this way in Mumbai was 3.5 weeks, and true be told by the end of that stint I was more than ready to go home. Yet I have to admit India does have a cultural hectic-ness about it, so they may just be right!*)

Ok, back to my story. So what I want to talk about is about the the experience of time. If you are fascinated by this topic (as I am) I suggest reading this article “Why time slows down when we're afraid, speeds up as we age, and get warped on vacation". The article also refers to Claudia Hammond's book "Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception" - who speak's about the human experience of time and that it is actively created by our own minds. Have you ever noticed that when you are on holiday or in an activity that you are totally "present" or "immersed" in, you experience it as lasting longer? Apparently the reason for this is due to the brain having to make memories and recognition of a new experience. So when you end up living - say a week - in a similar routine to the previous week, the brain does not have anything "new" (as in memory) to refer to and hence time seems to have 'flown by'.

The mind therefore creates the experience (and perception) to time, interdependent of the experience or the value you have given it, in that moment. Further more Hammond talks about the importance of time perception because it is the experience of time that roots us in our mental reality. Time is not only at the heart of the way we organise life, and carry things out, but it is at the heart of the way we experience it. The article is fascinating! Do take a read! So for me squeezing in both Mumbai and Hong Kong in a space of 10 days probably gives me the perception that I have experienced this much longer than the scheduled 10 days, because of the memories that the brain is trying to retain. It’s also possibly due to the many activities I have managed to squeeze in (and I do have a few more days this way) in the time allocated.

The article goes on to talk about the “experiencing self” vs the “remembering self”. We definitely do have a warped sense of time because of the routine we give ourselves in our day to day lives, and then when we do go on holiday that routine / way of being & living is broken. Yet I guess it comes down to you as the individual and your mindset as to how you think, in retrospective memories. As many of us do, we at times live our lives in our heads, and hence we end up losing the living / experiencing moment. Evoking memories is a good thing! It keeps the mind active, but also be aware that even our minds can warp what we experienced in the past, and therefore it makes more sense to maximise your now and be fully present to where you are, at this 'moment' in time.

Reality truly is a perception; each one of us has our own ‘unique’ perspective on it. If you want to truly master time, then yes you have to give it your all at the moment you are in. Whether that is to relax 100%, or be present 100% to the activity at hand.

The key to the 'maximisation' of time is to "make it different," even in a small, subtle way - that is what will give you the feeling that you are doing something different to what you normally do. Whether it's a tube journey to work, don't follow the same route constantly. Mix it up. Get off a tube stop earlier, walk the rest of the route. Or take alternative routes on certain days. Truly the spice of life is to mix things up!

And post writing this month's post I’ve decided to look more into this concept and I have ordered that book by Hammond. But for now, and until next month, I send you warmest wishes from the humidity and monsoon of Mumbai, I am off to try and make the next 3 days feel like 10 days!