What does time look like, anyway?

Time is a resource we all share, yet our perceptions of it, how we spend it, what it feels like, and the speed at which it moves vary depending on who you talk to. It’s wildly complex and aggravatingly simple. It’s fleeting and constant, and we live our lives, breathing second by second, until there are none left.

Time is also tough to capture and put into words. Sometimes, we need to see a visual (like the 78 beach balls I shared last week, in honor of 78 summers!) to appreciate just how finite and precious it is.

Serendipitously, I stumbled upon some of the best time visualizations I’ve ever seen in an email from the 1440 team this week.

Nathan Yau runs FlowingData and is a mastermind and expert in data visualization. Yau holds a PhD in statistics from UCLA, and what I love most about FlowingData and the information shared is that it’s practical and digestible, with little to no effort. And for a concept as seemingly subjective and experiential as time, Yau’s visualizations are fantastic.

Here are a few of my favorites to ponder:

Somehow, 24 hours can feel never-ending or more like 24 seconds, depending on the day. The first thing that stood out to me? The purple bars labeled Personal Care (which include sleeping and grooming). (Now I understand why my husband always complains about how much of our lives we spend sleeping…)

If you dive into the full data breakdown, you’ll find:

• Time spent watching television and movies increases as we get older 😬 

• Work and work-related hours peak in the 40s (this one is weird to me)

• We probably spend more time eating and drinking than we realize

Next up: daily routines. This one is fascinating! It displays the first, second, and third most common activities throughout the day based on:

• Weekday or weekend

• Employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force

• Men or women

• 0, 1, 2, or 3 or more kids

Try it for yourself! Pick a time, set your criteria, and review the data to see whether you typically do the most, second most, third most common, or none of the above during that timeframe.

And finally, one of my favorite visualizations: A time of death simulation.

When will we die? No one knows. But playing with probabilities and watching the ball drop is undoubtedly fun. Enjoy the simulation!

We can write about time. We can visualize data to help us make sense of how we spend it and understand its finite nature. But above all, no matter how we talk about it or look at it, it’s up to us to ensure we spend it with intention, in whatever way that means to you, my dear friend.

Time is all we have. And it’s non-refundable. Spend it wisely!

Time Well Spent: Weekly Roundup

1. In an issue a few weeks back, I wrote about our life-changing (my husband’s grandmother reconnected with her long-lost family members after 50+ years) trip to South Korea two years ago. And in BIG news…Business Insider published a short essay I wrote about our trip earlier this week!

2. I met my friend Mara on Twitter during the pandemic. Initially, we had a working relationship (I freelanced for G2, and she managed me), but over time, we quickly became good friends. I met her in person for the first time in Chicago two years ago. As luck would have it, she was in Denver this week, and we got to have coffee together on Friday morning! The internet can do good things.

3. I’m writing more on my blog (recently published: 10 Tips for Creating Internal Newsletters People Actually Want to Read and Ghostwriting for Executives: A Practical Guide for Internal Comms Pros) while I have gaps between client projects (need a writer or content creator?). I love writing, helping others through words, and sharing ideas with the world, but one thing I don’t enjoy is promoting my work. (So just know that I’m sweating and uncomfortable as I type this!)

The Takeaways

• The story of your life is a legacy of who you are and the time you spend here. Try sharing a story about your life with someone else.

• How can you invest intentional effort into a relationship or friendship online? You never know where it may lead or who might change your life.

• How can you intentionally share your work, gifts, or strengths with your circle and those around you?

I’m Alyssa Towns, and this is Time Intentional, a newsletter exploring what it means to spend our limited (and precious) time intentionally. Extend your love and support by sharing this newsletter with someone you know or buying me a coffee! ☕

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