There are 1440 minutes in a day and they tick by regardless. But minutes are only a measure of time – time is also psychological.  We mentally organise the past, present and future as if they were places you could travel to – and we can spend a lot of time being stuck there, often without realising it.  We dwell on past mistakes, plan for the future and exist in the present, giving different emphasis to each.

Psychologists call this our Time Perspective.  If you’re future orientated, you sacrifice immediate happiness for happiness in the future. You buy life insurance and avoid risks.  A present orientated person will enjoy time with friends and family, and they’re often late for appointments because they get absorbed by what they’re doing in the here and now.  They take more risks, because they don’t think about the consequences.  If you have a past positive perspective, you’ll enjoy looking through old photos and reminiscing about the good old days.

So how can you apply the science of time psychology in your business or your life?

In a personal context, if you know what your preferred time perspective is, you’ll have an insight into what makes you tick.  That means you have more control over the decisions you make, rather than flying on auto-pilot.  You’ll feel more in control of your life, and your time.  All of the research shows that this will make you happier.

In business, we’re interacting with colleagues and customers all of the time.  Understanding their time perspective allows us to identify their behaviour and vary our own responses.  For example, if I’m selling a diamond ring to someone who is future oriented, I might stress its value as an investment that will increase over time. Whereas someone who is more present orientated is attracted by appearance, and wants to walk out of the shop with it, rather than save up.  So offering credit terms might be the difference between making the sale and not.

Tony is director of Time Diagnostics.  He coaches people to use their time more effectively. Find out more about your Time Perspective at www.timeintelligence.co.uk