What we've Learned About Time So Far

As you may already know, here at We Have Sun, we've been researching and exploring the subject of time for almost two years now. Along the way, we've conducted various experiments, read books, and engaged in endless conversations about this fascinating human concept. I'd like to share some of the most profound insights I've gained on this journey.

Lesson 1 - Time is Indeed a Human Concept

This may seem obvious, but it wasn't to me at the start of this journey. Time feels ever-present, invisible, and ancient—as if it has existed for thousands of years independent of us. But digging into the foundations of this concept helped me define it and it’s related abstractions more clearly in my mind.

The concept of time emerged from our ancestors observing natural cycles—day and night, lunar phases, seasonal changes—which they gradually formalized into measurement systems to coordinate agriculture, rituals, and community activities. These initial practical principles evolved over generations, transforming into our current relationship with time, where we measure almost every aspect of our lives and rarely go anywhere without a watch on our wrist or in our pocket.

Lesson 2 - There Are Different Ways to Experience Time

Again, it's a simple message, but truly acknowledging and embodying this knowledge has been transformative. We can measure time in minutes, hours, and seconds, but also in months, years, and decades. We use time in so many different ways that being aware of all its dimensions allows us to use each one intentionally.

We might use a timer to count precise minutes or simply set an intention in our mind to track time more loosely. We can say "I'll be back at 6:00 PM," or we can say "I'll be back in the evening." We can count with varying degrees of precision depending on our purpose.

When we imagine ourselves "in 5 years," we might mean exactly 60 months from now, or we might be expressing a timeframe that feels far enough to allow for significant change but close enough to remain tangible and clear. Time is versatile. Time has many uses.

Lesson 3 - We Can Choose to Connect or Disconnect from Time

Time has countless applications, and I'm still discovering new ones. But perhaps the most mind-opening lesson was learning when not to use it. Over generations, the concepts we create evolve and sometimes their original purpose gets lost.

In today's society, time is so ever present that we often forget what it's like not to think about it. There are moments when we don't need to connect with time at all—when we can simply exist undisturbed by its passage. By freeing our consciousness from the concept of time, we create space for other feelings and experiences to emerge in its place.

Lesson 4 - Without Reference Points, Our Internal Clock Slows Down

In the darkness of an underground cave, French speleologist Michel Siffre made a startling discovery about human time perception. During his groundbreaking 1962 isolation experiment, Siffre lived for two months without clocks, calendars, or sunlight—only to emerge believing just one month had passed. His psychological time had compressed by half.

"When surrounded by darkness, your memory fails to capture time," Siffre explained. Without day-night cycles, his experiences blurred into "one long day," revealing how profoundly external cues anchor our temporal awareness.

Lesson 5 - How We Use Our Time Depends on Attention and Focus

We might say we dedicate one hour to our dream project, but if we spend half of that time answering emails and browsing the internet, that's not really what happens. When we sharpen our focus and attention, we can use our time in a more intentional way.

I found this quote captures it perfectly:

"Attention is your true source of wealth, even more than time—because you can waste time being distracted." — Sam Harris

To help myself use time better, I developed a spreadsheet to visualize my ideal day and then do my best to make it happen. You can read about this approach in our series of posts that starts The time spreadsheet - Part 1 - How we use it