The Time We Save, The Time We Lose

Today I spent 4 hours taking out a memory card from a trip 3 years ago that I deemed the trip that would "resurrect my DSLR" and get me back into photography. In 3 years, I could not find the time... absurd. But it's true, kinda sorta. Not really. I did not set clear boundaries?? I did not make it a priority... unsure.

Even my TV habits... movies take too much time, who wants to sit down and watch a movie for 2 hrs... But yet can endlessly scroll social media, tik tok, youtube way beyond 2hrs. Why? I didn't intend for sure. But rinse wash repeat... still do it over. Why are we not learning. If you watch 500 things, then you did 500 things as opposed to one, is the brain happy or sad?

At this point I realize I'm advocating for deep focus time. Give the brain a single task, a deep task, a long task to instill a level of understanding... don't be distracted. Form memories. Our brains are such powerful things when allowed to concentrate.

And this brings me to the bigger question... Why we, as sensible, smart humans, don't realize that these deeper, focused moments, like photography or watching a full movie—are what we need. Technology advancements has robbed us. By the time I started to work... computers were a thing. But laptops, no. Cell phones, unaffordable; when we left work, we actually left work. Not by choice... that's how it was. Need to work more... stay. We longed for what we have today... freedom to work whenever wherever. But work was not a multi task distraction.

But time is a finite source. So I pivot to a better question. Why can't we find time?

We are ruled by time. This is what humanity is… a slave to time. We want more time, we don't spend enough time doing work, we don't spend enough time with family, we don't have enough personal time. How long will the project take? How can we save time? Sure, there are those who say they have a good balance… but that is still measured by time… how to divide up… You value personal time, you value downtime, you value concentrated time. Time alone, time together…

Over the years of human life… we are constantly striving to be more efficient… that's all… how can we spend less time doing the things we NEED to do so we have more free time… but we end up filling that time with other things. More things to do... all this supposedly free time are being filled, and fast... work, entertainment.

I am jealous of the past… before computers… before phones. The constant need to be connected… it started with desktops… then you could have one at home… then the laptop… you could take work home…

Even when spending quality time… you are not in it… you are calculating or worrying about other ways you could be using your time… so that you can relax. Well, that's me… the more I can cram in a space of time… the more me time I have in the end for something else.

Cooking is a complex scenario… how to prep while cooking at the same time while washing… every downtime while waiting is doing something or thinking about doing something… by 9 PM I want to relax… but if I have tons of stuff to do, my mind will race… I knock off tasks one by one… trying to kill a never-ending list… it's tiring and not productive.

My wife has always told me multitasking is not a thing… and while not true… there are certain tasks that don't need 100% focus that you can combine. Maybe it's hard to multitask, but the brain can rapidly go between two thoughts sometimes as long as both are not super cognitive. All that TIME you save is worth it. But what are you going to do with it?

Now we have phones… one of the worst inventions… people can always reach you… internet… you have access to data. Now with AI… another tool for time. Better at coding, better at writing, better at data analysis… another tool to save time.

The tech giants:

Google - find things faster… save time

Netflix - what to do in your downtime

Facebook - what are others doing in their time, I have no time to talk to you… I can blast so you all can see

Amazon - save time going to many stores… all in one place

Apple - devices so you can use to pass time

Over the next years… I am sure we will derive ways to get more time back… but at what cost? Are we becoming happier humans with that time, or are we filling with more work, more mindless distractions, can we do the thing we want to do now, no… it's sad… but that is what we are. We are also the great procrastinators... a deadline forces us into a state of super hyper focus. Often producing our best work because we finally give something our undivided attention.

And yet, here I am, finally looking at photos from three years ago, wondering what other memories are waiting to be rediscovered while I've been busy "saving time." Iceland was superb. Those photos represent moments of presence and focus—time I never 'saved' but actually lived. Perhaps that's the time that matters most.