It happens to all of us. We’re deep in conversation with a good friend, and time just melts away. Perhaps you meant to watch an episode of a television show before bed, but somehow you’ve wound up thick in the third season and it’s almost time to get ready for work. A skewed perception of time happens to everyone occasionally. For those with “time blindness,” keeping track of time can be particularly difficult. Time blindness refers to the inability to recognize when time has passed or to estimate how long something will take. It’s a natural consequence of hyperfocus — becoming so engrossed in an activity that you block out everything else around you. The passage of time goes faster when you’re engaged in something you enjoy. There’s a scientific reason for that. When you’re doing something you’re very interested in, your brain engages differently than when you’re doing something that isn’t that stimulating. Time blindness isn’t a diagnosis or a specific symptom. Our brains constantly shift between two types of attention — automatic or directed — depending on the situation. Automatic attention responds to a network in your brain called the default mode. It’s your happy place. It’s what you use when doing something you find interesting. Directed attention is what you use when you’re engaged in things you have to do, but don’t necessarily want to do. That can include things like doing your taxes or cleaning out the bedroom closet. Those things aren’t particularly stimulating, so it takes considerable time and effort to keep your mind from wandering. When you experience time blindness, it’s because you’re running on automatic attention. There are things you can do to bring yourself back to the present and turn off automatic attention.
- 1. Set a timer to alert you when it’s time to move on.
- 2. Be mindful when you’re about to engage in an activity that tends to keep your focus. Try to avoid those activities when you don’t have time for them, like before bed or before you need to leave for an appointment.
- 3. Try the “if-then” technique: Set a goal for yourself to reach, like making dinner. If you do that, then you’ll do the next thing on your list, like read two chapters of a good book.
We all tend to lose track of time occasionally, but if it’s getting in the way of other priorities in your life, it’s time to consider some changes.
