Yesterday I picked up FOUR library holds that all came in at the same time.
I figured I better get started right away! I dove into The Cartographers first (so far it’s a satisfying mystery.) I’m saving The Murder of Mr. Wickham for my upcoming trip to Chicago, since it’s a paperback, and therefore easier to carry. I’m looking forward to that one- I can never resist a Pride and Prejudice spinoff.
Actually I’m looking forward to all of them, and I hope I can get them read before the library wants them back. I’m also reading this:
and, aptly enough, this:
I saw this book on Nicole’s blog. It’s not a typical time management or productivity book. Instead, it’s a philosophical examination of our relationship with time, and advice on how to live meaningfully with the time we have.
I’ll admit I’ve only had enough time (ha ha! See what I did there?) to read the first chapter, but it has already provided a lot of food for thought. Burkeman contrasts our lives today to a medieval peasant working the land. In most ways their lives were not luxurious back then. But they did have one luxury we don’t- the freedom from that constant pressure of the clock ticking away.
They would have no reason to hurry, or “save” time, or even think about time as a separate thing at all. They got up when it was light, did their work, and went to bed when it was dark. They milked the cows and harvested the crops when they were ready. There would be nu rush to get everything done, because their work would never be done, but instead continue on in endless cycles.
Historians call this method of work “task orientation.” I wish my own work were more task-oriented and less time-oriented. I give either 60 or 90 minute massages, and I have to be very aware of the time. I can’t come out short or the client will feel like they didn’t get their money’s worth. But I can’t go over the time, because I have another client waiting. The goal of course is to get into a state of flow, and that’s challenging when you always have one eye on the clock.
Yesterday I tried to imagine how my job could be task-oriented. What if I just finished every massage when it was done? If someone needed to relax, I would massage them until they were fully relaxed. If they had pain, I wold address the issue and work on it until it was resolved.
Well, that wouldn’t work. How would my next client know when to show up? And if the person had somewhere to be afterwards, they wouldn’t know when they would be done. No, if we’re going to coordinate our schedules with other people, we have to work with the clock.
So then I thought about what other areas of my life could be task oriented.
I measure all my runs by miles, not time. On weekdays I’m usually loosely aware of the time, because I only have so much to devote to my workouts before I have to get my daughter to school and myself to work. But on my Sunday long runs, I don’t think about time at all.
The only data I glance at are miles, and sometimes pace, although I’m not usually concerned with that. I’m either focused on the turnaround point, or completing a loop, or getting to my destination. It isn’t until the run is over that I (eventually) look at the time, but even then it usually doesn’t matter much to me. As long as I get home at some sort of reasonable time where my family won’t be calling the police, I’m good.
In the book, Burkeman refers to these interludes as living in “deep time,” or, as he quotes writer Gary Eberle, “The clock does not stop… but we do not hear it ticking.” What a relief to be fully focused on a task and immersed in the present moment, and not think about time for a couple hours.
Another activity where I don’t notice the passing of time is… reading. I never time my reading sessions (although maybe if I did, I’d be getting more sleep. But that’s another topic.) Running and reading are two pleasurable activities where I don’t hear the clock ticking. I need more of that in my life!
I got all this from the first chapter of this book- I can’t wait to read the rest.
Thanks as always to Kim and Zenaida for their Tuesday Topics linkup!
Do you feel like your work (or your life) is task-oriented or time-oriented?
Do you measure your runs by miles, or time? (or kilometers?)
34 Responses
Oh, I need to read this book! Thanks for highlighting it, Jenny.
Aren’t unhurried long runs the best? I just did one last week with a retired runner – I had the whole morning off and he had the whole day off. We met at 8am in the morning and took our time. We chatted to farmers on the way and stopped at a café for a drink. It was so relaxing!
Yes! I love runs like that! I know I could do a longer run on a work morning if I just got up early enough, but I don’t want to. I want to feel completely leisurely.
I keep hearing about Next Level and that it’s a really good book!
Everyone seems to be reading it after Wendy reviewed it! I’ve only skimmed it so far but it looks great.
This book sounds really interesting Jenny — thanks for sharing it! Now if I just actually remember to look it up.
I can tell you for sure I wouldn’t want to be a medieval peasant. We think we have it hard? Ha! But you’re right, we are a time oriented society. I don’t time my reading, either, but I often have more things to do so I do have an eye on the clock. I don’t time Bandit’s walks — but sometimes I have to keep an eye on the clock there, too, depending on the other things I want to get done that day.
Interesting food for thought!
I agree- I wouldn’t trade my time-oriented life for the life of a medieval peasant. But it’s definitely an interesting book- I’m excited to read the rest of it.
If you got that much out of the first chapter that’s a good sign for the rest of the book! My job is 100% task oriented which is one of the one million reasons why I love WFH so much. Back in the bad ol’ office days there was no reason to be efficient because I had to be “working” for the entire workday. Now I can just work more when I need to and kick back and relax when I’ve gotten my tasks done.
I read The Alice Network a long time ago but I have good memories of it. The Cartographers sounds good.
Well, that’s a big improvement in your work life! I can see how it would be so annoying to make a job that should be task-oriented into a time-oriented thing, merely because you’re supposed to be there 9-5.
I’m glad you liked The Alice Network! I’m looking forward to it.
I think I was not in the right state of mind when I read 4,000 weeks. I didn’t get as much out of it as you are and Nicole did, but I think that’s on me, not the author. I think I was looking for instruction on how to get more out of my time, and this book is more of a meditation on time. I did appreciate parts of it but it probably warrants a re-read in a different stage of life. The young kid years are so, well, weird. I am hyper-focused on the clock because the kids are not flexible when it comes to when they eat and delaying meals results in melt downs. And then the toddler gets so tired around nap time so I have to make sure we are NOT in the car when we are close to naptime or he will fall asleep and then his nap (which is crappy to begin with and too dang short) will be even worse! And then I’m often looking at the clock to see if it’s time for the toddler to go to bed yet because life is a lot more easy once he is asleep and we are just focusing on the 4yo! I do lose track of time when reading or when I’m working. I do really like my job and the work I do and some of it is “deep work” in an excel file and I can really lose track of time which is the best feeling!
I am excited to read Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow! I have a long wait for the ebook, though. I pretty much exclusively read on my kindle/kindle ap these days but the benefit to that is that I can delay the delivery of a book. I’ve had a string of books become available this week and if I hadn’t had a delay option, I probably would have stressed myself out trying to read all of them!
Yes, I can see how in your stage of life, a philosophical meditation on the meaning of time might seem pretty stupid! I remember those days- you really do have to watch the time to get meals and ESPECIALLY SLEEP happening at the right time. Maybe you can reread the book when the boys are older.
I’m also excited for Tomorrow etc. It’s up next after The Cartographers.
There is nothing I like better than a huge stack of library books. I currently have eleven paper books checked out and two e-books on my Kindle. There is no danger I will run out of reading material and I love it.
I read The Alice Network for my book club and really enjoyed it. I hope you do, too!
Yes, when I get a bunch of new books I have this mad desire to start them all at the same time! I’m excited to read The Alice Network- once again, since it’s a smaller book I might save it for my vacation.
That is great information from just one chapter! That means overall it will be a great book. I understand the whole clock thing and why we need to start/finish at a specific time. But sometimes it is nice to not think about it at all. I used to wear a watch but not no more. If I need to know the time I can look on my phone, clock on the wall, ask someone, etc. Sometimes it is liberating! Early in my training runs I had to run specific minutes. It worked out fine. I set my watch to tell me when I was done. Now it is all mileage and it feels good to just run and not worry too much about time. Like you, I also need to be home at a reasonable time. 🙂
Yes, I don’t normally wear a watch unless I’m running. It is nice to not constantly be aware of the time. I’ve never trained by time, although I know it’s a popular system.
My work is time oriented but sometimes I have to complete the task. I’m always conscious of the time but sadly, I can’t always meet those time constraints. People tend to have a lot of issues they want addressed these days. It’s tough.
Funny how all the library holds come in at once, isn’t it?
Yes, I can see how you might have trouble fitting everything in to one appointment slot. At least with my job, when the hour’s up, it’s over.
I want to get to Next Level soon but have a – ha – time-orientated challenge where I want to read x books by 5 October (actually, all the books I had acquired by 5 October 2021). I sometimes have to run to a time, for example if I want to get home before my husband sets off for work so as not to have to close all the windows then open them again, but my long runs are also based on miles, or going to a certain place and getting back (I leave a big margin on top of my estimated time for phoning the police, but then I am usually with someone so not so vulnerable!). I have read some reviews of Tomorrow and Tomorrow that make me want to read it, maybe as a readalong with my husband as I think it would appeal to him, too.
Ive read a lot of good reviews of Tomorrow and Tomorrow, so I’m excited to read it!
I also leave a big margin for my long runs- it always takes me much longer than I think it will.
I absolutely loved that book and I’m glad to hear you are enjoying it too – well, the first chapter, anyway. It’s so interesting and inspiring on so many levels! I measure my runs in miles as well, but recently I started tracking time I spend reading, for a summer reading challenge I’m in. I admit I usually pick up a book and then kind of lose track of the time, so that’s been challenging. I don’t think I’ll track time past the summer, it’s too distracting for me. And I know what you mean re: work. Since I teach yoga, I have to plan my class according to the time of the class. I’ve gotten really good at doing this through the years, but at first it was so hard! The pacing of a class really matters, and figuring out how many and what postures to teach, when you’re a new teacher, is a challenge.
Nicole, I always think about that when I’m taking a yoga class. Especially because the classes I take are on Peloton- they really have to finish on time. I can see how it would be the type of thing you would get better at over time.
Yes, as soon as you said you were timing your reading for a reading challenge, I wondered if that took some of the fun out of it. But it’s interesting to experiment with these things. And, thank you once again for the great book recommendation!
This sounds like a fun read! I have more time-driven things to deal with, like at work. But, there are numerous task-driven things that interfere with the time allotted. Have fun with all those books 😉
I am having fun so far! I’m enjoying The Cartographers even more than I thought I would.
Unfortunately, I feel like my life is time-oriented except when I’m on the boat!
I have to be at work logged in at 8am and until 4 pm. If I take a break or lunch, there’s a time limit there too.
My best reading is done when I’m on the lake… I can read for hours!!!
Otherwise it’s in bed until I fall asleep.
I read the Alice Network. Just finished the Paris Library.
So being out on the boat is actually an important activity for you- it gives your mind a chance to rest and disengage from that ticking clock.
exactly.
I should probably read more helpful books and not silly summer reads. Although, I do like the summer beachy books. I am also in the middle of Next Level. I really like her approach and her theories. I do think it is a little repetitive from the first one. Wow, you got a lot out of that first chapter! I am probably a combo of task and time oriented
Well, good thing I didn’t read Roar! I’ll probably get the main ideas from that in Next Level.
There’s something to be said for lighter reading! The novel I’m reading right now isn’t great literature, but it’s definitely engrossing and I’m enjoying it. Reading should be enjoyable!
I really appreciated the messaging of 4000 Weeks and want to read it again soon.
I have been off books for over a month. It feels like too much to fit into my schedule now that the kids are on summer vacation, but I will say that I find I lose track of time while reading and it keeps me up too late!
I measure runs in kms almost always, not time.
I like when things are task-oriented, but it feels like almost everything has to fit into a time window. Sigh. And that can feel overwhelming. Sometimes I feel like I need to stretch how long a task takes because of the time allotted OR I feel pressured to rush something that I’d rather do more methodically because I can hear that ticking clock.
Such an interesting blog post and plenty of food for thought!
Thanks Elisabeth! Yes, it’s one thing I dislike about my job- everything has to fit into a specific time window. Like you, i often feel like I’m drawing things out or rushing to fit it in. I’m still trying to figure out if there’s a way around that, or a different way to think about it.
My work, like yours, is time-oriented with clients in 1-hour time slots, often back-to-back. I look forward to being task-oriented when I retire! My dad was a farmer and much of his work seemed to be time-oriented as well, get the hay up before it rained on it to ruin the crop, schedule other farm chores around milking the cows so there was enough time to get that done before too late at night, etc. He always seemed to be racing the clock. I suppose that was because he was managing a large farm, not just planting a small garden, milking one cow to feed the family, etc.
I measure my runs by miles and always have. You can measure by time? LOL
Ha ha… yes, some people follow a training plan where they measure by time! So much else in my life is Time-oriented, I definitely wouldn’t want to measure my runs that way.
interesting about your dad… i would have thought all farming was task-oriented. But you’re right- managing a large farm is different from just working your own plot of land.
I feel like my job is very task-oriented. I usually make a list of the things I need to do in a given day and once I’m done with those tasks, I’m done! So that’s nice and maybe I’d find some good info in that book. I don’t really get much out of productivity books since they are sometimes so geared toward mothers/people with really busy lives, and that’s just not me. But since this is more of a meditation on time as a resource, it might work for me!
That is so interesting, Jenny. I never thought of it, but yeah, some jobs are more time oriented than others. Mine is definitely task-oriented (except for when a deadline has to met)… I don’t have a certain amount of work that I have to finish by the end of the day, because my tasks are usually ongoing and will take days, weeks or months to be completed. So I usually just look to find a good stopping point, where I can pick up the next day.
In terms of running, I also don’t look at the time. I plan my runs according to mileage…. and sometimes the same mileage takes longer and sometimes it’s shorter (as I am sure you’re familiar with :)).