If you struggle with managing time, which may manifest as chronic lateness, missing deadlines, or inaccurate time estimation for tasks, you may be experiencing time blindness.

Time blindness is a term used to describe the difficulties of time management often associated with attention deficit hyperactive disorder, or ADHD. It can also be linked to autism disorders, anxiety, depression and traumatic brain injuries.

“In the ADHD brain, the perception of time can be distorted, making it difficult to gauge when time has passed, especially when a person is hyper-focused on a task,” says psychotherapist Kathleen Spurgin, LIMHP. “This can lead to problems with calculating how much time something will take. We also know that time blindness is linked to impulsivity and distractibility.”

What time blindness feels like

Everyone can experience time blindness at times, but for people with ADHD, the perception of time is altered in a way that can significantly impact daily life. It's not a lack of effort or a purposeful disregard for others. It’s a difference in how the brain’s executive functions are wired that affects the ability to estimate and judge time.

Time blindness may feel like:

• Time feels fluid, leading to either an underestimation or overestimation of the time required to complete a task. For example, you may think a week’s worth of tasks could fit into one day or that two hours feel the same as six hours.
• Time passes slowly or disappears before you realize it.
• Losing track of time, specifically when deeply engaged in a task. For example, you may forget to eat or switch activities.
• Trouble organizing tasks in the correct sequence or prioritizing to achieve a goal.
• Putting things off until the last minute and focusing only on the present or short-term. Time may feel like everything is the distant past or distant future. A person with a shorter time horizon, or future time blindness, may not be aware of deadlines and may work on tasks either too late or not soon enough.
• Trouble remembering how long past activities took or estimating when they happened.
• Struggling to create or stick to a schedule or routine.

Time blindness isn’t a lack of willpower or laziness. 

“Our emotions can become deeply entangled in time management, leading to feelings of shame surrounding struggles with time blindness,” says Spurgin.

“Cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive reframing can help you change your behavior and the emotions associated with it. In reframing, we examine what is true and recognize the skills we may or may not have had to acquire to move from point A to point B. Once we examine the facts, we can reframe our thinking to help realize that it’s not a personal flaw but rather a skills deficit. Changing the way we think about things and working on skill development can help us achieve our desired outcome.”

10 tips to help manage time blindness

First, it’s helpful to identify how time blindness affects you personally. Here are Kathleen Spurgin’s top strategies to keep you on track: 

1. Put things on a visual calendar with specific details.
2. Set timers to remind you to do things or alarms that go off at fixed intervals to help gauge time. Use time blocking to divide your time into multiple blocks, with each block dedicated to one task.
3. Use multiple analog wall clocks throughout your environment to provide a clear visual representation of time.
4. Try visual timers to externalize your concept of time passing. This will help you stay mindful in real time. Build in a small time cushion in case there’s a delay.
5. Estimate how long a task will take, complete the task, and then compare the actual time it took to complete. If it’s a task you perform frequently, use the average time it takes. Find an app that tracks each routine task to help you stay organized.
6. Find a friend who can be an accountability partner for long-term projects. Setting deadlines, keeping track of progress together, and holding one another accountable for deadlines will help you stay on track.
7. Try an app blocker that restricts access at specific times or when your usage limit is used up.
8. Break down larger goals into smaller steps and attach a deadline for each milestone to increase productivity.
9. Keep the lines of communication open in your relationships and share how you’re working on improving your time management. If you need accommodations at work, discuss ideas with your boss.
10. For parents of teens, consider finding another trusted adult who can serve as a second voice in their life to reinforce time management skills.

Resources like ADDitudemag.com are also helpful in understanding yourself better and finding tools for management.

“Our thoughts, emotions and behavior are all connected in a cycle,” says Spurgin. “Our behavior reinforces our thoughts, our thoughts create feelings, and our feelings, in turn, shape our behavior. The goal is to change faulty thinking and behavior patterns to improve your quality of life.”