I don't have time

I think modern technology scares a lot of people. Things like Facebook are great, but they do take up time. So does email and so does having a cell phone.

Being involved takes time. Maintaining relationships takes time. Work takes time. So does reading, eating, sleeping, driving to and from places, and doing things like shopping, housework and admin.

And yet... I still treat the excuse, `I don't have time' with a little skepticism. It is probably one of the things I hear most often given as a reason. I don't buy it. Of course, there are exceptions...

BUT

I think of myself as a fairly efficient person who does quite a lot. Yet, I waste a lot of time. I spend a lot of time doing nothing. Inertia I call it, Stuart calls it revealed preference.

If I took all the time I spent doing nothing, and how much pleasure I gained from that (doing nothing is extremely pleasurable sometimes)... I am sure I would be much happier having done something else with that time.

I think there are a few reasons we don't do stuff:

1) The process seems excessively daunting
2) We can't see the benefit before hand
3) Lack of knowledge (we think it is harder than it is)
4) Laziness
5) Lack of inspiration
6) You feel you will be judged harshly.

I don't think we are very rational in our deciding what we want to do with our time because we don't tend to have a big picture view of things.

When I suggest to people they should start a blog, the common response is `I don't have time'. The reason I don't buy it, is because I know how much time it takes to keep a blog. Very little. I probably spend less than 30 minutes a day reading blogs, and then writing in mine. And I post most days. Someone could write once a week and I just don't buy they don't have 30 minutes.

So... I don't think time is the reason. I think the real reason is a combo of fear of judgement (6) and being daunted (1).

If the one thing that new technology is able to instill in young kids is not being scared of failure, and trying things... well I look forward to seeing the amazing creativity that will come out of that.