Time, and why we need to deal with itA seminar with Dub Research

“You couldn’t keep accurate time in the middle of the Sixteenth Century, but no-one noticed… there were no buses to catch, no TV shows to watch, or conference calls to join”

Steven Johnson, How We Got To Now

In 2006, Oxford University Press found most commonly used noun in English language was Time

Today,weareculturallyobsessedbytime:

AheadofyourtimeRaceagainsttimeTimetokillNickoftimeTimeofyourlifeQualitytimeRecoverytimeAll-timeTimeout

Worldwidepeoplearecoveringthesame-stretchofgroundin10%lesstime

(2006experimentbyRichardWiseman&BritishCouncil)

Tobepressedfortimehasbecomeasignofprosperity,anindicatorofsocialstatus,andonethatmostpeopleareinclinedtoclaim.JonathanGershuny,thedirectorofOxfordUniversity’sCentreforTimeUseResearch.

Our relationship with Time is driven by new realities of our economy

TO:

SERVICEECONOMY

TASK-BASED

FROM:

MANUFACTURINGECONOMY

TIME-BASED

Industrial Revolution changed the way we thought about time

Clocking in and clocking outBreak dictated by institutionsLunch provided by factoryRegular market days / wash days

First intercity timetable Liverpool and Manchester Railway 1830Rise of synchronised timings across cities

Watches were a sign of status, manliness, rising up the rungs of society, reward of good service

Now, we’ve moved to a service economy:- flexible working- task-based economy- autonomy overyour own time

Back in 1930 JM Keynes predicted a 15 hour working week…

We have more leisure time than ever

Parentsspendsignificantlymoreoftimewiththeirchildrenthanthoseingenerationspast.

Hoursworkedperweekhasdroppedsteadilysincethe1930sduetogrowthoflabour-savingtech&increasedprosperity.

StudiesbyUSeconomistsMarkAguiar andErikHurstshowthatpeoplewhoworkflexiblehoursfeelmoretimepressured,squeezingevermoreactivities,bothworkandleisure,intotheirdaythandothosewhoworkshiftswithfixedstartandendtimes.

But autonomy leads to time pressure

3 current narratives around time

#1TIMEASLUXURY

#2THE

PERMANENTNOW

#3MULTI-TASKINGTIME

Timeisbecomingthenewluxury.

Thinkmindfulness,digitaldetox,spirituality,slowfood,artisanalproduce,craftcultureFight-backagainstthe‘creedforspeed’Thedesireistotakecontrolofyourtime– foryourselfandothersandoftentocheckout.

#1TIMEASLUXURY

“What many rushed, stressed people want more than anything else is a bit of time. In a world that seems to worship speed going a little faster is not a luxury. Being able to go a lot slower is the luxury. That is what we envy.” Charles Leadbeater, the future of luxury

#2NOWTIME

Technologyakeydrivinginfrastructurethatspeedstheworldup• Ever-fasterprocessingspeeds• Greaterandquickerpenetrationoftech- smartphonepenetration

globallyclearlyoutpacingthediffusionofPC’sinWestTheubiquityofmobilecommunicationsandtheinternetmeanthatwearerarelydisconnectedFasterandmorefrequentcommunication,especiallyasmessagingappsexplode

“Our society has reoriented itself to the present moment. Everything is live, real time, and always-on…If the end of the twentieth century can be characterized by futurism, the twenty-first can be defined by presentism” Douglas Rushkoff

“Therecessionhasarguablymademultitaskingmoreimportant.Sincemanycompanieshavereducedhiring,amultiskilled workforcemeanstheycanhavefewerpeople,potentiallysavingsalaryandoverheadcosts.”StaceyNicholl,directorofbankingandfinancialservicesatHRcompanyCommunicate

BUT

DrGlennWilson,apsychiatristatKing’sCollegeLondonUniversity,monitoredtheIQofworkersthroughouttheday,hefoundtheaverageworker’sIQdrops10pointswhenmultitasking,comparedtofourpointswhensomeonesmokesmarijuana.

Almost half of women (46 per cent) say that they are constantly juggling multiple tasks throughout the day, while more than half (62 per cent) multitask at least once every waking hour Mumsnet survey

#3MULTITASKINGTIME

So what should brands do?

Do…• Helppeopleco-ordinatetheirtime

betterwithotherpeople– whatcanyouofferas‘suddencommonality’or‘anchorpoints’withothers?

• Beforwardlooking- helppeoplefeelthattheycankeepupwiththegreataccelerationoflife,leanintoit,ratherthanretreatfromit

• Helppeoplebuildwallsandseamsbackintotheirlivestoholdbackdistractionsandtofocustheirattention

Don’t…

• Mindlesslychampionflexibility(forwork,shopping,etc…)Peoplethenneedtocoordinateandaligntheirpersonalschedulesevenmore.

• Don’tmakefast-paced/multi-taskingtimelifeanenemy.It’sasignifierofprogress.

• Playontheanxietythattimeisrunningawayfromyou– assoonasyoumentiontime,peoplefeelstressed.

Contact us

Adam Chmielowski, Co-founder adam@starlingstrategy.co.uk07971008642

www.starlingstrategy.co.uk@thisisstarling on twitter and instagram

Annie Auerbach, Co-founder annie@starlingstrategy.co.uk07939266595