The Art of Time

Time is our most peculiar resource. We all get the same 24 hours, yet some days fly by in a flash while others crawl along. As a personal trainer, my world revolves around time—the 60 minutes of a session, the weeks it takes to see progress, and the years of a client's life we are trying to improve. But what if we could do more than just manage time? What if we could learn to manipulate it, bend it to our will, and use its strange nature to our advantage?

This isn't just about scheduling; it's about understanding the deep, philosophical currents of time. It's about knowing when to slow down and savor the moment, and when to automate and let the clock fly. By mastering this rhythm, you can transform your approach to fitness, work, and life itself.

The Dual Nature of Time: Fast vs. Slow

Have you ever noticed how an intense, one-minute plank can feel like an eternity, but a one-hour chat with a friend disappears in an instant? This is the dual nature of time. Our perception of its passage is not fixed; it’s fluid, shaped by our engagement, emotion, and focus. In training, this duality is on full display. For a client struggling with a new exercise, the session can feel like a grueling marathon. For someone hitting a new personal record, the hour is over before they know it.

Understanding this helps us stay grounded. When progress feels slow, and a client is frustrated that weeks have gone by with little visible change, I remind them of the "slow time" of growth. True, lasting change doesn't happen in "fast time." It happens in the steady, deliberate, and sometimes tedious moments. Acknowledging this helps manage expectations and prevents the frustration that can derail a fitness journey.

Can We Control Time? Slowing It Down and Speeding It Up

Here’s where it gets interesting: we can influence how we experience time. While we can't add more hours to the day, we can change our perception of how quickly those hours pass.

Slowing Time Down with Novelty

Think about a week-long vacation to a new country. Every day is packed with new sights, sounds, and experiences. Your brain is in high-alert mode, processing a constant stream of fresh information. As a result, that one week often feels much longer in retrospect than a typical week at home. This is the power of novelty. When we break our routines and introduce new stimuli, we force our brains to pay attention, effectively stretching our perception of time.

In training, we can use this to our advantage. If a client's motivation is waning and workouts feel monotonous, introducing new exercises, changing the training environment, or trying a different fitness class can make the experience feel fresh and engaging again. The sessions feel richer, and the client is more present, which can make the entire process more memorable and rewarding.

Speeding Time Up with Routines

On the flip side, we can make time feel faster by leaning into routines. When you drive the same route to work every day, you often arrive without remembering much of the journey. Your brain, familiar with every turn, goes into autopilot. This is useful for efficiency. By automating repetitive tasks, we conserve mental energy for more important decisions.

However, there's a danger here, best illustrated by the movie Click. In the film, Adam Sandler's character gets a remote that lets him fast-forward through the "boring" parts of his life—arguments, illnesses, and work commutes. He ends up skipping through huge chunks of his existence, missing out on precious moments with his family. He automated his life to the point that he was no longer living it.

As a self-employed trainer, my weeks can fly by because my schedule is structured and my routines are dialed in. This is great for productivity but requires a conscious effort to avoid the Click trap. We must be careful not to put so much of our lives on autopilot that we forget to be present for the journey. Routines are tools for efficiency, not an escape from life itself.

The Rhythm of Progress: When to Be Aggressive vs. Patient

Mastering time also means knowing when to push the accelerator and when to ease off. Every fitness journey, and indeed every life path, has its seasons. There are times for aggression and times for patience.

An aggressive phase in training might involve a high-intensity block designed to break through a plateau. It’s a deliberate, focused push that demands maximum effort. In life, this could be launching a new business or dedicating a few months to learning a new skill. These are the sprints.

But you can't sprint forever. Patience is just as critical. Rest days and recovery weeks are not signs of weakness; they are essential for growth. The body rebuilds and gets stronger during rest, not during the workout itself. Similarly, after a period of intense work, we need to allow for consolidation and recovery. Trying to maintain an aggressive pace indefinitely leads to burnout, injury, and diminishing returns. The true art is in finding the balance—the natural rhythm of push and pull, effort and ease.

The Danger of Rushing: Mistakes Under Pressure

Pressure makes us rush, and rushing leads to mistakes. I see this constantly with clients who want to achieve their goals yesterday. They're tempted by crash diets or extreme workout programs, hoping to fast-forward their way to results. This almost always backfires. Overtraining leads to injury, and overly restrictive diets lead to binges and a broken relationship with food. They rush the process and end up setting themselves back even further.

My role as a trainer is often to be the voice of reason—to slow them down. We focus on sustainable habits and consistent effort over time. The goal is not to get fit for a month but to build a foundation for a lifetime of health. This requires a patient, deliberate approach. Rushing is a sign of mistrust in the process. True confidence comes from knowing that small, consistent steps, taken over a long period, will lead to monumental results.

Final Thoughts: Becoming a Partner with Time

Time isn't an enemy to be conquered or a thief stealing our moments. It's a partner. Every session, every healthy meal, every early morning is an investment in your future self. It’s a vote for the person you want to become.

Embrace the flow. Be present for the "slow time" of a challenging workout and appreciate the "fast time" that comes from being in a productive groove. Use novelty to enrich your days and routines to streamline them, but never fast-forward through your own life. Know when to push hard and when to rest.

By understanding the philosophical nature of time, you can move beyond simple management and into a deeper state of mastery. You learn to make intentional choices, honoring the value of each moment. You become an active participant in your own journey, working with time, not against it, to build the life and body you desire.