Is it 5:00 yet?

Popular science just compiled the top 10 "most apparently self- evident studies of recent years". Here they are:

1. Combining drugs and alcohol is bad for you

2. Gun-touting drivers are more prone to road rage

3. Too many meetings make you grumpy

4. Faraway objects are tougher to see

5. The “beer-to-goggle” effect is a bona fide phenomenon

6. Swallowing more than one magnet is dangerous

7. Smoking cigarettes costs you money

8. Memory and concentration fade with age

9. Women like funny men

10. Time flies when you are busy

You are probably saying; “Well, of course!”. However, Laura Allen, the writer of the article from Popular Science, said; "Scientists don't assume how the world works - they test it."

I thought #10 was interesting. Professor Anthony Chaston at the University of Alberta recently completed a study on "time estimation: the effect of cortically mediated attention". In this study, the professor and his team determined that statement #10 above was indeed accurate. They did this by asking participants to undergo a “Where's Waldo” experiment, increasing the complexity over time. People tended to underestimate the amount of time it took to do the puzzle as the difficulty level increased. In other words, the more you focus on something, the more your perception of how quickly time is going is affected.

I like to call it “the vacation puzzle” - you seem to wake up on the beach, only to find yourself heading for bed, and shortly after, you are back on the plane on your way home. We have all been in situations when that 1 hour meeting seems like it’s taking an entire day.

Your time test is a great way to look at your current level of satisfaction in your career - if your days feel like weeks, then it could be time for a change. We can help. Visit us online at www.careerjoy.com for more information.