The 8 Forms of Time Clutter
What is time clutter? Jessica Waters, in her excellent article Time Clutter — Why Can’t I Do It All? describes it this way:
“…why do we think that we can keep adding and adding and adding to our days, taking on commitments, events, errands, projects and to-dos — why do we think that our Tupperware Drawer of Time is infinitely expansive?”
Time Clutter is the steady accumulation of extra commitments, events, errands, projects and to-do’s that we take on, but don’t actually have the time to do, if we are to have enough time left over, to do the essential and important things we need and want to do. It can be the result of staying vague about how much time we have, versus how much we tell ourselves we will do. It can result from not keeping a calendar, daily schedule, and/or planner. It can also be the result of a misunderstanding of both of our time and energy levels — for example, thinking we can do twelve difficult errands in a row, with no break in between.
In my life, I have found there are 8 different forms of Time Clutter. Each is specific and unique. Each has a fantasy associated with it, that acts like the mental “carrot” or reward. Each one also has a fear behind it, which acts as the mental “stick” or potential punishment I worry that I need to avoid. The 8 forms of Time Clutter are:
- Activity Greed
2. Approval Greed
3. Achievement Greed
4. Dependability Greed
5. Task Hoarding
6. Experience Greed
7. Information Greed
8. Break Anorexia
Activity Greed
What it looks like: Activity Greed manifests as an inability to stop doing things. You constantly add things and fill up your days, just so they will be full. When you are awake, you must be doing, doing, doing! You are more of a human doing than a human being. With Activity Greed, it doesn’t matter too much what you’re doing, as long as you’re doing something. Rest, breaks, and meditation are all out of the question, unless you can turn them into an activity that can be checked off your list. But this is different from the martyrdom of Break Anorexia, described further down in the list. With Activity Greed, you don’t take breaks because you fear the horrible unknown of what you will be like, and how it will feel, if you stop.
The fantasy behind it: I will be a great person someday, because I am always doing things! I am productive! It will all add up to something big!
The fear behind it: If I stop doing, I don’t know what I’ll be like! A lazy lump? A fearful failure? I don’t even wanna think about it! Eeek!
Approval Greed
What it looks like: Approval Greed drives people to add more and more things to their days, specifically to get approval from others. You agree to do more than you have time to do for your boss, because you want her or his approval. You agree to do things for family members, friends, and organizations, because deep down, you crave their approval.
The fantasy behind it: I will do lots of things for others, and this will get them to approve of me, and this will make me a great person who is loved by all someday!
The fear behind it: If I don’t do all these things, I’ll never get approval from others, and they will abandon me.
Achievement Greed
What it looks like: Achievement Greed drives people to add more and more things to their days, so they can win awards, accomplish big and visible goals, and gain public recognition from others. You want to sell the most houses at the real estate agency you work at, so you can get your name on the plaque on the wall. You overwork yourself to exhaustion, to earn the downpayment on a flashy new Porsche that all your neighbors will see in your garage. You drive your daughters around relentlessly, so you will be the parent of the girls who sold the most Girl Scout Cookies this year.
The fantasy behind it: I will accomplish all my desired achievements, and in doing so, everyone will love me.
The fear behind it: Without external recognition, people will judge me as a worthless failure, and they will abandon me.
Dependability Greed
What it looks like: Dependability Greed drives people to add more and more things to their days, because they love having the reputation of being the most reliable person people know, and they can’t stand the thought of someone else who might suffer in some way, if they don’t help them. You talk on the phone with dysfunctional friends about their latest drama until 3AM, because they know you will always pick up, and you can’t stand thinking about what they might do if you weren’t there for them. You put your own job priorities aside again, and cover for a troubled coworker, because you know he’s been going through a rough time at home, and you can’t stand the thought of your boss reaming him out if he drops the ball again.
The fantasy behind it: I always come through for people whenever they need me, and because of this, everyone will be grateful and love me.
The fear behind it: Other people will suffer unless I help them whenever they need me. If I’m not there for them, nobody will be. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, knowing that I could have prevented other people’s troubles.
Task Hoarding
What it looks like: Task Hoarding drives people to add more and more things to their days, because they think they need to do every activity or project, which they read about or hear about, and think might be good for them or their life. Your friend recommends a book he says you “have to read,” and you put a note in your phone, and then order it online when you get home. You read an article that recommends a new self-improvement workshop, and you sign right up, or put it on an endless list of workshops you just know you have to take.
The fantasy behind it: Once I collect all the best things to do, and I finish doing them all, I will be an amazing person, and people will love me.
The fear behind it: If I don’t capture and then accomplish all the things I’ve found that could make me better, I will not live up to my potential. I will be a failure as a human being, and people will abandon me.
Experience Greed
What it looks like: Experience Greed is more commonly known in today’s world by a different name, FOMO, which stands for “Fear of Missing Out.” Experience Greed drives people to add more and more things to their days, because they are convinced that these events and activities will be very enjoyable and satisfying, and their life will be less fun and exciting if they miss a single one of them. You agree to go to a concert with your friend on a Sunday night, even though you know you will get home at 3AM, and have to get up early for work the next day. You agree to sign up for a night class you saw advertised online, even though your nights are already filled, because the description of the class is amazing!
The fantasy behind it: Once I go to everything worth going to, and do everything worth doing, my life will be complete, and I will be a success.
The fear behind it: If i miss out on anything fun or exciting, my life will be forever incomplete, and I will be a failure.
Information Greed
What it looks like: Information Greed drives people to fill their days with collecting and reading books, online articles, blog posts, and magazine and newspaper articles; listening to informative podcasts; and watching online videos and documentaries. You keep a list of books a mile long that you have to read, because their subject matter is so important. Your Netflix queue is overloaded with important documentaries. Your “Watch Later” queue on YouTube is packed to the brim with instructional or explanatory videos on a wide array of topics and subjects.
The fantasy behind it: When I know everything there is to know about everything that is important, I will be a great and successful person.
The fear behind it: If I don’t know something I should know, it may be disastrous for me, and ultimately lead to my failure as a person.
Break Anorexia
What it looks like: Break Anorexia is an avoidant behavior that ends up loading someone’s schedule with more and more activity, because they actively deprive themselves of healthy breaks. It amounts to a martyr complex, in which the person feels morally superior, because they are going without the normal rest that the rest of the population takes. When you clean your house, you wait for one day each month, and kill yourself cleaning every single room, non-stop, for hours and hours. On a tight deadline at work, you hunker down at your computer, and work for hours on end, with no break, telling yourself you don’t have time for one.
The fantasy behind it: I will be admired by everyone, when they found out how long I worked without even taking one break.
The fear behind it: If I take a break, other people will brand me as lazy, and I will be judged as a failure.
By recognizing each specific form of Time Clutter that you struggle with, you can catch yourself doing it, and choose to declutter your days instead.