The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life

Your every significant choice — every important decision you make — is determined by a force operating deep inside your mind: your perspective on time — your internal, personal time zone. This is the most influential force in your life, yet you are virtually unaware of it. Once you become aware of your personal time zone, you can begin to see and manage your life in exciting new ways.

In The Time Paradox, Drs. Zimbardo and Boyd draw on thirty years of pioneering research to reveal, for the first time, how your individual time perspective shapes your life and is shaped by the world around you. Further, they demonstrate that your and every other individual's time zones interact to create national cultures, economics, and personal destinies.

You will discover what time zone you live in through Drs. Zimbardo and Boyd's revolutionary tests. Ask yourself:

• Does the smell of fresh-baked cookies bring you back to your childhood?

• Do you believe that nothing will ever change in your world?

• Do you believe that the present encompasses all and the future and past are mere abstractions?

• Do you wear a watch, balance your checkbook, and make to-do lists — every day?

• Do you believe that life on earth is merely preparation for life after death?

• Do you ruminate over failed relationships?

• Are you the life of every party — always late, always laughing, and always broke?

These statements are representative of the seven most common ways people relate to time, each of which, in its extreme, creates benefits and pitfalls. The Time Paradox is a practical plan for optimizing your blend of time perspectives so you get the utmost out of every minute in your personal and professional life as well as a fascinating commentary about the power and paradoxes of time in the modern world.

No matter your time perspective, you experience these paradoxes. Only by understanding this new psychological science of time zones will you be able to overcome the mental biases that keep you too attached to the past, too focused on immediate gratification, or unhealthily obsessed with future goals. Time passes no matter what you do — it's up to you to spend it wisely and enjoy it well. Here's how.

"'Time is our most valuable possession': we are obsessed with schedules and multitasking to save time, say the authors of this insightful study of the importance of time in our lives. Yet people spend time less wisely than money. Zimbardo (The Lucifer Effect), professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford, and Boyd, research director for Yahoo!, draw on their two decades of research to explain why people devalue time. They blend scientific results into a straightforward narrative exploring various past-, present- and future-oriented ways of perceiving time and argue against becoming imprisoned or obsessed by any one of these. Zimbardo and Boyd have cogent insight into all of time's elements and show how they can be used for success, better health and greater fulfillment. For instance, understanding the role of time in investment can lead to wiser financial decisions, and a relationship will not work if one partner is focused on today's pleasure while the other wants to plan for the future. This is a compelling and practical primer (filled with quizzes and tests) on making every moment count." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

In a remarkable book that does for time what "Blink" did for snap judgments, "New York Times"-bestselling author Zimbardo and research partner Boyd combine scientific and popular psychology, self-help advice, and social commentary into a big think guide for living today.

Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D., a professor emeritus at Stanford University and past president of the American Psychological Association, designed and narrated the award-winning PBS series Discovering Psychology. He has written more than fifty books, including the New York Times bestseller The Lucifer Effect, and lives in San Francisco. John Boyd, Ph.D., received his doctorate in psychology from Stanford University, where he worked closely with Philip developing the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory. His professional experience includes director of scientific affairs at Alertness Solutions, director of research at Yahoo!, and, currently, research manager at Google. He lives in Dublin, California, with his wife, Nancy.

Part One

THE NEW SCIENCE OF TIME: HOW TIME WORKS

one Why Time Matters

two Time

A Retrospective on Time Perspectives

three The Past

How You See Yesterday Through the Lens of Today

four The Present

An Instant for All That Is Real

five The Future

Tomorrow Through the Lens of Today

six The Transcendental Future

New Time After Death

Part Two

MAKING TIME WORK FOR YOU

seven Time, Your Body, and Your Health

More Than Your Biological Clock Is Ticking

eight The Course of Time

Life Choices and Money in Balanc ing the Present and the Future

nine Love and Happiness

ten Business, Politics, and Your Time

eleven Resetting Your Psychological Clock

Developing Your Ideal Time Perspective

twelve Out of Time

Making Your Time Matter

Notes

Acknowledgments

Index

Illustration Credits