“Tell me what you think of time, and I shall know what to think of you.”
If the Earth had formed at midnight and the present moment is the next midnight, 24 hours later, modern humans have been around since 11:59:59pm—just precisely 1 second. Consider the creation of our universe, our galaxy, our planet - and all of what flourishes from nucleus to neuron - and the realisation is that time is the only true measure of existence - and of the life we know.
It may explain why, through the course of history, wars have been fought over the establishments of legacy, and capital has been poured into the quest for immortality. If the existence of civilisation was compressed into 24 hours, from one midnight to the next, 14 minutes represents the time since Christ. Considering we had only existed for less than14 minutes in a time-scale where the existence of civilisation is in 24 hours, perhaps the perpetual hurry to conquer time has always been encoded in our genome. Which is why economics rewards efficiency, and why we perpetually seem to be in a rush - to save time, be on time, and compress time to kill time.
Time may be of essence in many cases. But can time really be the true measure of organisation and creation?
Time is needed to hone our intuition, and form the disparate experiences in our time-scale. Creativity is when we are able to thread up our varied experiences in a different way- and when you turn the back of the tapestry over, you can see the art of your creation - the colours, the texture, and the patterns that make a tapestry a beauty.
Time is the very essence of creativity, where a Creation is a function of Creativity and Intuition.
The subject of the tension between speed and creativity has weighed on me for a while now as I embrace a life of entrepreneurship - where I wrestle with the idea of quality over quantity, and a balance of economics over artistry. Where time, no matter how precious, must be given for reflection, rumination, and threading the tapestry differently. Only then can the culture of creativity be fostered meaningfully - in a way that no incubator, creative space or startup accelerator can imitate, but only encourage.
This is why I am re-evaluating my relationship with time - and specifically, creative time - to be a better leader and entrepreneur. There have been countless accounts of business leaders who have subscribed to the re-evaluation of time - be it 4am wake-up calls (Tim Cook) to run and reflect, or walking meetings (Jack Dorsey) and reading voraciously (Bill Gates).
Whether it is to counter the malaise of busyness, or imbibe some time for reflection and rumination - the next step is to make "creative time" a reality. Assuming we are awake for 16 hours across 24 hours, we have about 1,000 minutes in a day for all the activities we do. We can further split down the 1,000 minutes to 10-minute blocks, which gives us over 100 10-minute blocks to play with every single day.
If we put this into perspective, let's assume that;
- 50 10-minute blocks are for work (that's about 8 hours)
- 30 10-minute blocks for eating, running errands, or exercise (that's about 5 hours)
- We will have about 20 10-minute blocks for some creative time every single day
Of course, this will require some remarkable discipline to unplug and switch off from work. Over the course of a month, I have varied from 10 to 15 10-minute blocks each day for me to read / walk / ruminate, and it has helped my mental clarity by leaps and bounds.
InStargazing: Memoirs of a Young Lighthouse Keeper, Peter Hill’s contemplation of time and space is often at the forefront of my mind.
“Then stare at the sky and contemplate the vastness of the universe. Gradually you turn into a lighthouse keeper. But take your time, for time is precious.”
It's time for us to take our time - specifically, it is time for creative time.
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FAQs
Every single day, you only get 1,000 minutes to spend however you like. Split into 10-minute blocks, this means you only get 100 blocks a day. This may not seem like a lot, but when managed properly, 100 blocks is way more than enough to do everything you want to do each and every day.
What is the 10-minute rule in time management? ›
What is the 10-Minute Rule in the Context of Productivity? The concept of the 10-minute rule revolves around breaking down tasks into manageable 10-minute increments to overcome procrastination and inertia. Rather than being overwhelmed by the enormity of a task, individuals commit to working on it for just 10 minutes.
How many 10-minute blocks are in a day? ›
Assuming we are awake for 16 hours across 24 hours, we have about 1,000 minutes in a day for all the activities we do. We can further split down the 1,000 minutes to 10-minute blocks, which gives us over 100 10-minute blocks to play with every single day.
Why do we divide time? ›
THE DIVISION of the hour into 60 minutes and of the minute into 60 seconds comes from the Babylonians who used a sexagesimal (counting in 60s) system for mathematics and astronomy. They derived their number system from the Sumerians who were using it as early as 3500 BC.
How should I divide my time? ›
Final Takeaway
- Divide Your Day Into 4 sections (Morning, Midmorning, Afternoon, and Evening).
- Choose 2–3 priority goals.
- Put the most challenging tasks/goals in the morning and mid-morning sections.
- Put the simpler tasks in the afternoon.
- Break down the goals into steps.
- Checklist every step you've finished.
If it takes longer than 10 minutes, then you should have broken it down into smaller tasks or delegated it to someone else. The key to this rule is in enforcing it, which means setting the timer on your phone to go off at the 10-minute mark.
What is the 10-minute block time? ›
The block time is an average. It is a measure of how long it will take the hashing power of the network to find a solution to the block hash. The difficulty is calculated proportionally to the hashing power so that, on average, the block time is 10 minutes. In reality, block times can vary.
How many minutes is 3 blocks? ›
In the US, blocks are not standard but if someone says they are 3 blocks away, expect that they will arrive within 5 to 15 minutes if they are driving or on bicycle. 10 to 20 minutes if they are walking. About 3 blocks means close; within your neighborhood. The side of a city block ×3 is the distance.
How many minutes is 2 blocks? ›
2 blocks refers to city blocks but we usually view it as “minutes”. Whether you really are two blocks away or not, usually if we want to indicate we are close by in the range of 2 minutes or less, we are like “2 blocks away”.
Who created the division of time? ›
Hipparchus, whose work primarily took place between 147 and 127 B.C., proposed dividing the day into 24 equinoctial hours, based on the 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness observed on equinox days.
calendar, System for dividing time over extended periods, such as days, months, or years, and arranging these divisions in a definite order. A calendar is essential for the study of chronology, which reckons time by regular divisions, or periods, and uses these to date events.
Why do we divide time into periods? ›
To understand broad social and economic changes. We are not interested in the happenings of short period of time. We do not have enough sources to study short periods of time.
How do you divide your day into blocks? ›
Create and schedule your work blocks.
Assign specific periods for each task or group of tasks, and use a planner or digital calendar to map out your day. You can block time in the morning for high-priority work tasks, midday for meetings, and late afternoon for administrative tasks and emails.
How do I control my time? ›
Eight Ways to Take Control of Your Time
- Make a to-do list every day. ...
- Keep your work with you. ...
- Don't be afraid to say no. ...
- Find your productive time. ...
- Create a dedicated study time. ...
- Budget your time. ...
- Don't get sidetracked. ...
- Get a good night's sleep.
One in particular has had a major impact on our productivity: the 1-3-5 rule. Here's the gist: Understand that you can't accomplish an endless number of things each day. Instead, accept that you can reasonably get one big thing, three medium things, and five small things done.
What are the 4 rules of time management? ›
Time management is crucial for effective productivity. The 4 Ds of time management—Do, Delegate, Defer, Delete—are key principles that offer a structured approach to organizing tasks and enhancing efficiency in personal and professional spheres.
What is the 5 minute rule in time management? ›
Using the 5-minute rule, you set a goal of doing whatever it is you would otherwise avoid, but you only do it for a set amount of time: five minutes. If, after five minutes, it's so horrible that you have to stop, you're free to do so. Mission accomplished. Done.
What is the 3 minute rule in time management? ›
Essentially, it states that if a student is in danger of putting off a task, they should try doing it for just three minutes. So, why does it work? Well, even if the task is incomplete after 3 minutes, beginning a task that they have been avoiding will make the student feel less intimidated to complete it.
