Eight days a week

Published on Friday 28 March 2008 13:45

IT FLIES, it stands still, it weighs heavy, it disappears just when we need it most. Time seems to have a life of its own – and one that too often rules our lives like a tyrant.

Almost everything we do seems to be against the clock, from the moment the alarm goes off, through the working day and into our leisure time. In our attempts to have it all and do it all, time is the one thing we seldom feel we have enough of, and statistics suggest our obsession with the clock has never been greater.

Technology has only made it worse: e-mail, mobiles and blackberry, once shiny beacons of a new age, are increasingly time-consuming, with some studies showing over-use actually hinders us rather than saving us time. Why do we put pressure on ourselves to do everything all of the time anyway?

Increasingly time management specialists suggest our hang-up with time could be the very thing preventing us using what we do have effectively. A 2007 Wasting Time Survey found that on average in the UK 1.7 hours of an 8.5-hour workday was spent socialising and web browsing. Other figures suggest that the average person spends less than seven hours per day productively.

Lesley Benzie, chief executive of Royston Stress Centre in Glasgow, says it pays to compartmentalise the time you give to things: "People can get weighed down by all sorts of things, from relationships through to work issues, and that can lead them to believe there just aren't enough hours in the day to deal with anything. This isn't always the case; often it's about prioritising and taking stock."

A fascinating new book gives a different take on time and explains why our relationship with the clock is so problematic. In Time: A User's Guide, Stefan Klein explains that our perception of time has changed as society and our lives have become more complex – our ancestors had no need of clocks – and in the process we have become out of synch with our individual body clocks.

Biological clocks don't just regulate the desire to reproduce, they govern every function from modulating blood pressure to the state of your libido. Whether you are a night owl or an early bird is largely genetic and while you can modify this to some extent, Klein says it is better to understand and to work with your own body clock than against it.

"There is a right time for each of the things we do," says Klein. "If you try to work counter to your personal rhythm, you will expend more time and energy on the things you need to get done. You will feel weary and wretched without knowing why."

He suggests that learning to live by our own inner clock will help to alter our perceptions of time and transform our lives. An experiment in a German car factory has shown that allowing people to work to times more in line with their individual body clocks improves productivity and reduces accidents.

In Minneapolis, school authorities put back the starting time of lessons by one hour for teenagers and saw grades improve. As Klein explains: "Nearly all teenagers are night owls... in most 18-year-olds, the night hormone melatonin is secreted at about 11pm, so they feel sleepier much later than the rest of us."

This is due to a shift in circadian rhythm in teenage years and it won't be until they are about 20 that teenagers eventually feel more energetic in the morning. Conversely, senior citizens are often early risers, which is thought to be because their bodies produce less melatonin.

Back in the workplace, making a change to the fundamentals in your day can also have an impact. Figures from the Stress Management Society support this idea and suggest that the old saying "time is money" plays heavily.

Last year, researchers at Glasgow University found that many workers were suffering from 'e-mail stress'. More than a third said they thought they checked their inbox every 15 minutes and 64% said they looked more than once an hour. Only 38% of those tested were relaxed enough to wait a day or longer before replying to e-mail messages.

Stay at home parents, home-workers and indeed anyone can feel swamped by the belief that there are too few hours in the day. Research suggests that it can be a particularly demanding decade for women as they struggle to juggle the continual demands of a career, bringing up children and running a home.

Research by Top Sante revealed that only 25% of women got seven or eight hours sleep a night, while 75% felt "lucky" if they got six. The same research showed that 70% of those asked felt stressed every week and 60% felt the need to cancel social engagements to fit everything in.

The trick, say researchers, is to realise that we all have the same 24 hours and it is up to us what we do with it. Organising, delegating and the capacity to say no (without any guilt) are paramount. Indeed, careful scrutiny of where your time goes, coupled with a little preparation, can leave you with up to two spare days to play with in any month, with little change to your routine.

A business and life coach with Kapow Coaching in Edinburgh, Kate French suggests people take the time to plan, and more importantly find some minutes in the day to reward themselves for what they have achieved, instead of simply mulling over any perceived failures.

"Write it down and plan your day. You are 80% more likely to achieve your goal if you've written what you want to achieve and by when," says French. "And always remember to stop and acknowledge that you're trying your best. Give yourself a break and reward your achievements along the way."

15 ways to save 24 hours

How do you save a day? Our panel of time management experts came up with these tips:

1 Take a breath. Think before you speak and save yourself the time worrying about it later. Also, take a leaf from former American president FD Roosevelt: "Be sincere; be brief; be seated."

Time Saved a Day (TSaD) 30 seconds Time Saved a Week (TSaW) 3.5 minutes

2 Pay online. Set aside an hour one Saturday morning every month to pay your bills online or set up direct debits.

TSaD 5 mins TSaW 35 mins

3 Buy in bulk. Take half an hour to buy birthday cards and wrapping paper en masse and save yourself that last-minute lunchtime rush every month.

TSaD 1 min TSaW 7 mins

4 Slow and steady. The old nugget that slow and steady wins the race is absolutely true. Rush things and you are likely to have to re-do the job. Take your time over things and do the best possible job first time round.

TSaD 10 mins TSaW 50 mins

5 Make the kids' packed lunch and snacks the night before, bearing in mind Jamie Oliver's F-word tirade and avoiding sausage rolls or fizzy drinks. The canteen or corner shop can be friend and foe for both the waistline and the wallet, so be prepared.

TSaD 10 minutes TSaW 50 mins

6 Cook big. How many hours do you spend cooking over a hot stove of an evening? Cook that casserole/spag bol in bulk and save time and effort for three nights a week, or if you can cope with your family accusing you of hypocrisy, betrayal and cynicism, follow Delia's lead and break out the frozen mash.

TSaD 20 mins TSaW 60 minutes

7 Be prepared and write a to-do list before bed. Forget running around with soaking wet hair, trying to find the only shirt that doesn't need ironed, while manically planning the day.

TSaD 5 mins TSaW 35 mins

8 Do your grocery shopping in bulk online. Forget 'nipping' into the supermarket on the way home several times a week and save time, money and your back.

TSaD 10 mins TSaW 70 mins

9 According to a new survey by Medicash and the Samaritans, half of the UK population now feels more stressed on a daily basis than five years ago so pare back meetings and delegate during your working day. Don't take too much on and give work to your colleagues where you can to reduce stress. As Alan Sugar says: "My time has value. Therefore, it is crucial that I spend my time focused on those things that are the best use of my time and deliver the most effective results. Anything that is not the best use of my time I delegate."

TSaD 20 mins TSaW 100 mins

10 Discourage personal phone calls during work hours. Put aside certain times for calls in the evening with friends; similarly, don't be afraid to use voicemail. Phone calls can take up an hour of your day.

TSaD 20 mins TSaW 100 mins

11 Don't let your inbox rule your life. Allot certain times in the day to check your mail and close out of it completely, so you aren't tempted to log on when your focus should be elsewhere.

TSaD 45 mins TSaW 225 mins

12 Get up 30 minutes early. You will find that you get a better night's sleep overall and you can use that extra half hour every morning to make you more alert. Use the time to your advantage and eat a good breakfast or go for a short, brisk walk.

TSaD 30 mins TSaW 210 mins

13 Put a timeframe on web-surfing. Technology can seem like the link to the outside world but it can isolate its users from the real world.

TSaD 45 mins TSaW 225 mins

14 Allow yourself one hour of TV a day. Don't be tempted to channel hop. Before you know it you have spent three hours in front of the television, when you had just planned to sit down for half an hour for Corrie.

TSaD 1 hour TSaW 420 mins

15 Say no. It's a word ridden with guilt but a necessity for a healthy, happy life. Know your limitations and don't be afraid to use the N-word.

Time Saved limitless

Time money can buy

IT MAY seem decadent but investing in other people's services can give back crucial time to an otherwise hectic day. Once the domain of wealthy Americans, dog walkers have become big business in recent years in Scotland, as has cat sitting. So if you fancy an afternoon to do all the jobs that have been piling up, without the pressure of having to exercise the pet pooch, you can have it for about 8 per hour. Similarly, personal shoppers (up to 250 per day) have put paid to those agonising hours

Those looking for the ultimate in R&R can hire their own hairdresser or make-up artist and be beautified while catching up on their favourite book or film. Those with money to burn could invest in a personal stylist (50 an hour), knocking days of indecision – not to mention bad fashion choices – off the average month.

Indoors, the possibilities are endless with nanny (10 per hour) and child-minding agencies continuing to be a huge boom industry in the UK. Invest in a cleaner for a couple of hours a week. For an average of 12 per hour you can arrive back, guilt-free, to a dust-free home.

While a private chef could cost 250 for a dinner party or upwards of 5,000 per week, peeling the potatoes and waiting for the rice to boil are simple jobs which can take up hours of your time. Pass the buck.

Sick of wasting days on your tax bill and household accounts? Opt for your own accountant. Their fees depend on what you want them to do, but some will even give advice for free.

Finally, those with real money to burn could opt for a 24/7 PA (35 per hour) to organise and prioritise their every whim, leaving them ample hours to do with what they will. Bliss.

What to do with those extra hours

Get up and out Take yourself into the great outdoors and smell the flowers. It's almost Spring, so enjoy it. The mental and physical benefits of a leisurely walk are second to none, so clear your mind and embrace it.

Learn a language It's a great way to test the brain and a motivator to be more adventurous with your holiday choices. Learning a language can open any number of doors, from the feeling of personal achievement through to potential professional opportunities.

Spend more time with your friends/partner/children It can seem, at times, that no matter what the set-up, there is never enough time for those we actually want to spend time with. Indeed, statistics suggest many people spend more 'quality' time with their colleagues than they do with family and friends. Thirty minutes to spare? Ask your partner about his/her day and really listen. Read your child a book or help with their homework. Catch up with that friend you spend your life texting and chat face to face.

Take up a hobby Forget what you should be doing and act on what you would like to be doing – learn a new sport, take up singing lessons or join a social club.

Take a long weekend The office or the homestead will manage without you for a day. Take a Friday or Monday off work/away from the family and it can have a real impact on how positively you view the rest of your week.

Read that book It has been sitting by your bed for weeks but has been barely opened. Go to bed a couple of hours early and dedicate that time to something you enjoy.

Put your feet up Don't feel guilty if you have a spare minute and do nothing. Sit back, relax and enjoy the quiet time. You've earned it.

Never too busy

Even the most organised can maximise their time. Dawn Breslin gives her top tips

ANTHEA Christie is a social work manager who commutes between Edinburgh and Aberdeen. She has a nine-year-old daughter, Amy.

"I love my job but it pays to know how to juggle things – even at the weekend. I had to learn very quickly to be extremely organised. I plan each of my days very carefully. I think women particularly can give themselves a pretty hard time about being able to do it all. Sometimes I can put off things because it seems there's not enough time for it all.

"I'm lucky: my partner doesn't see our roles as divided by gender and he takes on an equal share of cooking, cleaning and that sort of thing. He has two children of his own, so is very supportive. I also have a cleaner who comes in once a week and that really takes the edge off it."

AM

Dawn's tips for success

Have the confidence to say no. I work with a lot of women juggling parenthood and a full-time job and it can be a tricky task. It's about recognising your own self-importance and making sure you are leaving enough time in the day for yourself.

Commuting can take a lot out of anyone. Try and use the travelling time for relaxation. Opt for audiotapes: learn a language, find a new love of classical music. Make the time work for you.

Nicholas Webber is director of the Splendid Group

We co-founded our events and catering company in 1997 before incorporating the property business into the group. At the moment we are working on a third company, so there is always plenty to work on. There is often a feeling that there are never enough hours in the day and there is something else you should be doing or checking on: I think that's human nature.

It's about having good people around you and delegating and prioritising. As soon as you have learned it, things become easier. People need to learn to enjoy their down time more and maximise its potential. I have a quiet beginning to the year, so I take that time off to go on holiday without any guilt.

AM

Dawn's tips for success

Set boundaries and make priorities. Ask yourself what is important in any given day and work with that. Put time allocations in your diary and try to stick to that.

Time is often about planning ahead; recognise the value of the time you are giving to things and then take a step back.

Dawn Breslin is an author and confidence coach. See www.dawnbreslin.com

You can't ignore the body clock

When is the best time to memorise new facts, do routine tasks or solve a tricky problem? The timetable below outlines how our biological clock sets our agenda for the day.

5.30am While you dream, your adrenal gland secretes large quantities of the hormone cortisol, which amuses you. Insulin also begins to course through your veins. Your blood-sugar level falls.

6am Your heart starts to beat faster. Blood pressure and body temperature rise.

7am: You wake up. Men may experience sexual arousal because large quantities of testosterone are being released.

7.15am You may feel a bit of a letdown because the neurotransmitter melatonin is still circulating (melatonin readies the body for darkness and sleep). This is why depression is most severe in the morning.

7.30am Your mind is not clear yet, so stick to simple mechanical tasks: brushing your teeth, buttering your toast.

8am Your thinking power hits its stride and you give it something to do by reading the newspaper over breakfast.

8.30am You feel the urge to move your bowels.

10.30am Your mind is at its most alert. You can solve complex problems more deftly now than at any other time.

Noon Muscle tension is high, so your handshake will be firmer than at any other point. You are hungry.

2pm Your inner excitement subsides. You begin to day-dream.

2.30pm Now would be the time for a siesta. NASA studies have shown people are more efficient and in a better mood after a 20-minute nap in the early afternoon.

3.30pm You perk up again.

4pm Your reaction time grows shorter. If you are working at a keyboard, you type more rapidly but make more errors.

5pm The optimal time for sports: your limbs are flexible, your muscles strong and your heart and lungs work more efficiently.

6pm Your sense of taste is keenest at this point.

7pm Alcohol is tolerated best in the early evening. The liver reaches the peak of its activity at about 8pm. Thus, the alcoholic content of your aperitif remains in the body for a much briefer period than a late-night drink.

8pm Your brain is still fit for routine tasks such as sorting papers.

9pm The first melatonin is secreted, preparing the body for sleep.

10pm Your alertness fades and your mood dips.

This is a general guide to the biological clock, you can figure out your own rhythm by experimenting with your routine.

This is an edited version of the daily biological clock timetable in Time: A User's Guide, by Stefan Klein, 8.99, Penguin

Reader offer

To get the book at the special offer price of 6.99 including free p&p call Penguin Bookshop on 08700 707 717, quote the offer reference 'SCOTSUN/Time' and the ISBN, 9780141034638. Offer subject to availability. Customers should allow up to 14 days for delivery. Offer open to UK residents only.

And so to bed

WE spend a third of our lives asleep, on average, but some clock up extra zzzzs, with benefits for stress levels and ability to cope with challenges. Napoleon, Florence Nightingale and Margaret Thatcher may have got by on four hours, but the rest of us need seven to nine hours' sleep.

So are you a lark or an owl?

Larks

Struggle to stay awake during Eastenders and go to bed before 10pm

Wake up whistling at 7am and have a big breakfast

Like to hit the gym or jog before work

Owls

Stay up till 1am and struggle to get to work by 10am

Often skip breakfast

Don't attempt any exercise first thing

Owls who wish to transform themselves into larks should try some of the following:

1 Reset your body clock. Don't bother trying to go to sleep earlier, but wake up at exactly the same time every day and try to get up as fast as possible after your alarm goes off.

2 Put your bed where it can receive the first rays of sun or buy a sunrise alarm clock – that glows instead of making a noise.

3 Early morning exercise and breakfast kick-start the metabolism so eat and stretch to get your day started.

See The Night Owl Network (www.nightowlnet.com)

A chance to see more of the children... or the aliens

When the Spice Girls cut short their recent comeback world tour, they said it was to spend more time with their seven children, despite the fact that their chartered jet was reported to have a nursery on board to accommodate the offspring who joined the group on tour. Nothing to do with behind the scenes bitching then.

WITH high profile careers, a growing family and numerous humanitarian commitments, Angelina Jolie said that she wishes she had more alone time to commit to her partner, Brad Pitt.

"Right now, we're not great about mommy-and-daddy time," she says.

Like a lot of mothers, A-list actress Gwyneth Paltrow has said she wishes she had more time to pamper herself. "I don't spend time I used to having a massage or a facial. I do things when it's an emergency – when I look like a man, I have a wax!"

Robbie Williams' music career has taken up so much of his time, he said he may quit so he can pursue his alien watching hobby full-time. He has recently been snapped at a planetarium out in the Arizona desert and receives a UFO news feed on his computer. "I want to go out and investigate these things," says the singer, who claims he has been visited by aliens three times in the past.

After giving birth to a baby girl in January, Cutting It actress Amanda Holden has seen her free time slip away. "Every woman, married or single should take half an hour every day to enjoy a bit of escapism," said the BBC star.

Cranking out new chart hits with pop stars half her age (Justin Timberlake, anyone?), Madonna shows no sign of stepping down. But on her days off, family is everything to the 50-year-old Hall of Famer. "The small amount of free time that I have, I reserve for my children. There's the ice rink, pizza, DVD or a horse ride with my daughter."

After a whirlwind tour late last year, legendary pop star Prince said he plans to spend his free time focusing on his religion and studying the Bible.

Atonement actress Keira Knightley likes to keep busy but would like to unwind more with the people she cares about the most.

"I know I've been like a workaholic, and I really don't have time for much," she says. "When I do get home I like to spend as much time as possible with my friends and family."