Can't stick to a schedule at work? You’re not lazy – you just see time differently | Work It podcast

Key Concepts

Clock time, event time, productivity, mental health, cultural norms, time guilt, executive functions, negative self-talk, burnout, identity dissonance, decision fatigue, procrastination, empathy, presence, adaptability, flexibility within boundaries, social time, anchors, peak energy periods, vagueness of tasks, episodes of accomplishment.

Main Differences Between Clock Time and Event Time

• Clock Timers: View time in a structured, linear fashion, adhering to schedules and deadlines. They often glance at their watches and have a daily schedule with specific times for activities.
• Event Timers: Have a looser relationship with the clock, prioritizing tasks based on internal cues and social needs. They might start working when they feel like it or eat when they are hungry.

Cultural Norms and Time Perception

• Singapore's work culture is described as clock-time driven.
• Latin American and Southeast Asian countries have more flexible expectations with time.
• An Indonesian career coach shared her experience of adapting to Singapore's time-oriented culture, contrasting it with the "rubber time" concept in Indonesia.
• The speaker shared her experience working in Malaysia where "Malaysia Standard Time" (MST) is a common joke.

Challenges Faced by Event Timers in Clock-Driven Environments

• Time Guilt: Feeling inadequate compared to peers who thrive in structured environments.
• Chronic Stress: Misalignment between external expectations and internal rhythms.
• Impaired Executive Functions: Stress affects focus, decision-making, and motivation.
• Negative Self-Talk: Developing a narrative of being lazy, inefficient, or incapable.
• Burnout: Trying to overstructure their lives and follow a clock-timer mindset.
• Insomnia and Lack of Presence: Worrying leads to sleep problems and difficulty being present at work and home.
• Feeling Boxed by the Clock: Feeling restricted by rigid schedules, leading to anxiety and task delay.

Challenges Faced by Clock Timers

• Looser Sense of Control: Over-reliance on external cues to dictate actions.
• Lower Ability to Savor Positive Feelings: Difficulty tuning into inner feelings and enjoying the present moment.

Impact of Negative Self-Talk on Event Timers

• Identity Dissonance: Feeling disconnected from their natural functioning style and environmental demands.
• Erosion of Self-Worth: Negative self-talk chips away at their sense of self-esteem.
• Decision Fatigue: Difficulties focusing and masking procrastination as perfectionism.

Strengths of Event Timers and How to Leverage Them

• Empathy, Presence, and Adaptability: Qualities crucial for collaboration and creativity.
• Flexibility within Boundaries: Agreeing on fixed checkpoints (weekly syncs, milestones) while allowing flexibility in how work is done.
• Strategic Use of Social Time: Building informal catch-ups and debriefs into the calendar to improve focus.
• Owning Working Style: Being self-aware and communicating needs for longer time blocks or recovery periods.

Tips for Event Timers to Bridge the Gap

• Identify Non-Negotiable Commitments: Choose two or three essential tasks and structure the day around them.
• Adopt Anchors: Use fixed moments in the day (e.g., checking email after morning coffee) to build routine without rigidity.
• Schedule Tasks According to Peak Energy Periods: Complete difficult tasks when most alert and focused.
• Break Down Vague Tasks: Divide large tasks into smaller, manageable subtasks with assigned anchors.

Notable Quotes

• Charlene Coaching Director Charlene: Each of us actually carry elements of both [clock time and event time] within us applied depending according to the activity.
• Mr. Ivan Fu from Intellect: Event timers might experience time guilt.
• Mr. Limhan E from Emerge Performance: Event timers natural time orientation doesn't need to be fixed it needs to be flexed.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The podcast explores the contrasting approaches to time management: clock time and event time. While clock time emphasizes structure and schedules, event time prioritizes internal cues and flexibility. The discussion highlights the challenges faced by event timers in clock-driven environments like Singapore, including time guilt, stress, and negative self-talk. However, it also emphasizes the strengths of event timers, such as empathy and adaptability, and provides practical tips for bridging the gap between their natural style and workplace expectations. The key takeaway is that both approaches have pros and cons, and awareness and adaptation are crucial for productivity and mental well-being.