Time on our hands; how we spend our time is only part of the story; the other part is how we feel about it - Editorial

American Demographics, Oct, 1997 by Diane Crispell

How we spend our time is only part of the story; the other part is how we feel about it.

Think about how many decisions you make every single day based on time. It determines the order in which we do things and whether we do them at all. Should I stop at the dry cleaner's this morning and be a little late to the office, or do it on the way home and deal with heavier traffic? Would I rather spend the first half-hour home from work chopping fresh vegetables, or playing with the kids and zapping a meal in the microwave? And honestly, I'd write to my mother more often if only she had e-mail; it takes more time to address and stamp an envelope and get it in the mailbox.

This month, we are delighted to reintroduce a department that had its first run in these pages from 1989 to 1991. The second edition of "About Time" will appear every other month, focusing on some aspect of the way we spend our time. Last time around, sociologist John P. Robinson covered time-use trends from 1965 through 1985. This time, his analyses of previously unpublished 1995 data update the picture of how we allocate the resource that ultimately places us on an equal playing field--we all get the same 24 hours a day.

This month, we see what happens when people reach retirement age (page 20). Where do those 20 or 40 hours a week got Not all of it to fun and games. Older people take their time doing everything. In some cases, they have to slow down. In others, they choose to.

Control over time is a quality-of-life issue. Just as we value the choice we have in our careers, hobbies, relationships, and where we live, we also place a high value on the control we have over our hours. It's common knowledge that working and single mothers have less leisure time than others. But one study shows it's not just the amount of time women spend on housework that bugs them; it's the fact that their "jobs" tend to be the ones that have to be done now. You have to feed people when they want to eat, wipe up spills when they happen, and go shopping when supplies run low. Well, we'll qualify that. You don't have to, but hungry, sticky children are a powerful motivator. In contrast, men tend to do tasks in their own sweet time. If the grass doesn't get cut today, it will just sit there quietly, not minding.

Even when the demands of others don't control our time, it's astonishing how much we let the clock do it. The first thing most people do if they wake up during the night is to see what time it is. Big mistake for insomniacs: the psychological pressure of knowing the alarm clock will go off in three hours keeps them from getting back to sleep. Writer's block and cramming for exams work much the same way. Knowing those minutes are ticking away can be paralyzing.

Speaking of time, I'm on deadline here. Gotta go.