Do you believe in time travel?
I do.
Though I’ve not fully figured it out, I can say definitively that it is possible to distort time. With practice you can both slow down and speed up time.
This is possible, because time is a product of your perception.
If you put your head down and only focus on your work without any other distractions for this next year I guarantee that is going to be one of the fastest or shortest years of your life depending on how you go about focusing.
Your brain reacts to novel stimulus and gives you the perception that time is moving slower than it actually is. That’s why when you go on a long day of travel in new places it feels like you have been on the road for days when in reality it may have only been one day. This was also apparent during the first year of running my online business.
There was so much to learn and so much new stimulus that this really has felt like the longest year of my life.
Reflecting on the past year has me thinking about time as an entrepreneur and how valuable it is to use time to our utmost advantage.
There are a ton of productivity hacks out there that are supposed to help you get more done in less time, but I am going to make the argument that maybe that’s not the best way to look at getting from point A to point B.
Yes, I agree it’s important to be as efficient as possible, but I also believe there should be some fluidity in your day to day schedule.
The best way to do that in my opinion is to split up your time in a way that strategically keeps you fresh and ready to perform at peak levels.
Ideally when you are doing any sort of creative work you will get the feeling of slowing down time. This is also referred to as getting into your zone or into flow.
When you are crushing through some admin or less brain intensive activities you want to feel like time is moving very fast as you get through that stuff.
Strategically structuring your day, so you batch the slow moving time and the fast moving time activities separately will help you maintain the fluidity of your schedule and allow you to get more done in seemingly less time.
The reason I say seemingly is because the only thing that really matters is your perception of time.
The time machine exists in your own mind.
You can create a 100 million dollar business in 10 years if you only focus on business and neglect all other parts of your life, but at the end of those 10 years you may have hated the process so much that time it felt like it took you 30 years to build that business.
Is it worth it to speed up time like that if you’re not enjoying it?
That’s up to your personal preference.
My belief is that the only reason to start a business is so you can experience a large amount of happiness, so if your happiness is being interfered with significantly by your entrepreneurial journey, than I would consider taking a step back.
Start loving the heck out of the time you have now by slowing down time in the areas that you enjoy most.
The first year with my internet business was one of the most fulfilling and joyful experiences of my life. It has felt like an eternity of time, because I slowed it down. I traveled, I fell in love, I learned a ton, I ran experiments and above all else I kept one thought at the forefront of my mind.
Related Article: 5 Fatal Flaws in Your Productivity and Time Management Strategy
Everything is happening for my best interest.
If I can let you in on a little secret I’ll share with you that everything is happening for your best interest as well.
So what’s the best way to distort time, so you can enjoy the journey?
Use it to your advantage. Slow down and cherish your opportunity to learn and discover every day. Speed up and crush through the repeatable tasks that you need to get done.
Your perception is shaping how you experience time and everything else in life.
Perceive it wisely.
Author: Brandon Epstein helps entrepreneurs unlock the secrets of ultimate peak performance through his online coaching business Entrepreneur Fitness. He is also the co-founder of the fitness community Zen Dude Fitness which will be joining Under30Experiences this Spring on an incredible fitness retreat: http://zenfitness.under30experiences.com.
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