Understanding Time - Clocks Not As Simple As Tick Tock

We all know how to tell the time, and we mostly understand that time is of some benefit to us, but it is rarely discussed how little we really understand the concept of time itself.

In history men started measuring time using the ‘great luminaries’ – the sun and moon, then we progressed to dials and timers, now we have digital and atomic clocks. Even though we have made this progress in measuring time our understanding of exactly how time works is still relatively little. However some aspects can be described.

Time is Relative
The longer you live the quicker time seems to go, even though one day is still 24hrs. This is a real phenomenon and it has to do with the relative nature of time. The fact is that time is a relative measure of existence. For example to a child who is 5 years old 1 year represents 20% of his life, a large amount (remember how long a school year was). But to a 50 year old adult a year represents a mere 2% of his life (you know how quickly tax time comes around!).

Another aspect of time’s relative nature is this: PersonA travels at the speed of light through the galaxy leaving PersonB behind on earth. After 20 earth years PersonA returns. PersonA would be only moments older but PersonB would be 20 years older. This is an extreme example of how time is relative. But relative to what?

Use of Time
The term “a watched pot never boils” is a truth. How time is used will depend on how quickly or slowly it progresses. It is, therefore, relative to how an individual uses it. In the above example the person who uses time to travel at the speed of light uses time in a different way than the person who decides to stay in one place hence the time progresses differently for both. From the stand point of PersonB and PersonA time has slowed down or speed up for the other person respectively.

Another example: how quickly does time go when you are running late in preparing for a party, but equally how long does it take if you are prepared and your guests are late! So doing things makes time pass quicker, doing nothing makes time pass slowly.

Time Management
It now becomes apparent that to make the best of our limited knowledge of time we need to keep busy while at the same time being mindful of where we are in the stream of time. Hence the concept of time management was born. There is no option for starting or stopping time, but there is the option to speed it up or slow it down, this is the idea of managing time. To do this requires 3 things:
What actions need to be accomplished
When they need to be done
How long each action takes

Once identified and arranged there is a need to continue to monitor the progress of time to ensure that each task takes the correct amount of time, or to adjust tasks according to requirements.

By: Bundy Specialists

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Many online tools have become available to assist in time management. These range from simple time clocks to complex task managers. BundySpecialists have been interested in time for over 10yrs, they offer a Free Online Time Clock service allowing users to time daily tasks. See their website for a large range of time clocks available for purchase.