How Did We Reach the Point Where We Have Less Time for Almost Everything?

The moment we sense even a hint of boredom, we instinctively seek to fill the void with something—and in doing so, we paradoxically make ourselves too busy and find ourselves with less time.

Me, among my beloved trees in the snowy Yukon wilderness | Photo taken with tripod

Where has all our time gone in this modern age? It seems that in today's fast-paced world, everyone finds themselves caught in an endless cycle of busyness, constantly talking about their lack of time and overwhelming responsibilities. This universal time pressure has become a defining characteristic of contemporary life, affecting people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. We find ourselves perpetually rushing through fundamental activities — whether it's getting adequate rest, maintaining personal hygiene, or savoring our meals. The modern lifestyle appears to demand that we continuously compress and optimize every moment of our day to accommodate an ever-growing list of commitments and obligations.

My personal childhood journey with time was an interesting contrast to today's reality. Having grown up in a remote village, our relationship with time was fundamentally different. Instead of digital displays and timepieces, we relied on nature's own clock — the sun's position and its shadows. I had placed markers on our house wall that would indicate, through the sun's shadow, when it was time to head to school. Similarly, at school, we students had created our own informal timekeeping system with markers that would signal when the day was drawing to a close. It wasn't until I reached approximately grade five or sex that my family acquired its first actual clock. During those simpler times, it felt as though we had an abundance of time, with plenty of moments to spare.

Fast forward to the present day, and I find myself surrounded by numerous time-telling devices — my phone, wristwatch, computer, and various other clocks scattered throughout my environment. Yet, paradoxically, this heightened awareness of time seems to have resulted in its increased scarcity. Modern social interactions have become prefaced with availability checks — "Do you have time?" has become the standard opening question when proposing any kind of meeting or activity. This prevalent time scarcity, which was virtually nonexistent in the past, has emerged as one of the most unfortunate developments of our modern era.

This perceived time shortage, however, might not be entirely what it seems. In my personal observation, our actual busyness may not be as severe as we perceive it to be. Instead, we tend to keep our minds constantly occupied with various thoughts and activities, creating a perpetual state of mental busyness that leads to the perception that we never have enough time for anything extra. Consider this: if someone spends multiple hours daily scrolling through social media or internet, it indicates the presence of significant discretionary time that's simply being mismanaged.

A particularly concerning trend in modern society is our growing inability to cope with boredom. The moment we experience even a hint of tedium or dullness, we instinctively seek to occupy ourselves with something — sometimes anything — to fill the void. This often manifests as "doom scrolling" or similar time-consuming activities that, before we realize it, have consumed hours of our day. I strongly advocate for developing a healthier relationship with boredom, dullness or downtime. When we learn to be comfortable with periods of inactivity, we eliminate the compulsive need to fill every moment with stimulation. This creates natural spaces in our schedule for spontaneous creative activities or urgent matters that may arise.

Consider this practical example: when we're comfortable with boredom and a friend suddenly invites us for tea, we're more likely to have both the time and mental space to fully enjoy that social interaction. Conversely, if we've already filled our time and mental bandwidth with unnecessary activities like endless scrolling or other similar things, we might either decline the invitation due to perceived time constraints or, even if we accept, find ourselves mentally preoccupied and unable to fully engage in the moment.

While it's true that our daily lives require numerous essential activities — work commitments, meal preparation, personal care, sleep, and various household chores — we often squander our genuinely free time. These precious hours of potential productivity or relaxation deserve more thoughtful consideration. Drawing from my personal experience, I once faced the common dilemma of not knowing how to utilize my free or boredom time effectively. My solution was creating two distinct lists of activities: those requiring immediate attention and those that could be addressed during periods of downtime. In simple words, along with a to-do list, I also keep a list of activities that can be done during boredom or tedium time.

This has proven invaluable to me. Now, instead of defaulting to mindless scrolling when I have free time, I check my “boredom list”. Whether it's writing correspondence, conducting household organization, or tackling various pending tasks, this approach helps me maintain focus on meaningful activities rather than frittering away time on less productive pursuits. As a result, I've developed a better sense of time abundance in my life.

I wanted to take a moment to lighten the mood and share something special with you, as our discussion has touched on some weighty topics about modern life and lack of time. To provide a refreshing change of pace and bring a smile to your face, I'm delighted to share with you a heartwarming video that I captured during my adventures in the pristine, snow-covered wilderness of the Yukon. This brief interlude serves as a perfect reminder of the joy and wonder we can experience when we make time to appreciate life's beautiful moments:

Remember, highly creative ideas emerge from utter boredom, when mind is fully empty, so embrace your boredom.

In the symphony of daily chaos, remember to make your heart sing to the music of joy, making time to find happiness in life.

Now, I have a question for you — do you have enough time to dance today?

*****

Dear reader,

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Cheerfully,

Gurdeep