Do you really know｜你是“时间乐观主义者”吗？
英音听力｜BBC & 经济学人等
Are you a time optimist?
A time optimist is someone who's overly optimistic about how much time they have to do something, and therefore often ends up being late or missing deadlines.
They tend to underestimate how long tasks will take, overestimate how much they can accomplish in a given period, and ignore potential delays or interruptions. They may also have a distorted perception of time, losing track of how fast it passes or how much is left.
Why are some people like this?
Time optimists are not necessarily lazy or irresponsible. They may have good intentions and high ambitions, but they lack realistic planning and prioritization skills. They may also suffer from procrastination, perfectionism, or fear of failure, which prevents them from starting or finishing tasks on time.
But being a time optimist can have negative consequences for both oneself and for others. It can cause stress, anxiety, guilt, and frustration as well as damage one's reputation, relationships, and career. It can also affect the people who depend on you or work with the time optimist, causing them to feel annoyed, disappointed, or resentful.
Any benefits to being a time optimist?
According to Grace Pacey, author of late, a Timebender's guide of why we're late, and how we can change. She's quoted in The Guardian as saying, "latecomers see time as flexible and can speed up when needed. We get energized by deadlines. We often feel we produce our most creative work when we are under time pressure. Timebenders typically do 80% of their work in the last 20% of the time before a deadline. We enjoy the adrenaline and buzz we get from working under time pressure."
So how can you become more punctual and productive if you are a time optimist?
Here are some tips. Start by keeping track of how long tasks actually take and compare them with your estimates. This will help you calibrate your sense of time and adjust your expectations accordingly. Try using a calendar, a planner, or an app to schedule your tasks and activities and set reminders or alarms to keep on track.
Make sure to include buffer time for unexpected events or emergencies. Break down large or complex tasks into smaller and simpler ones and assign deadlines for each subtask. This will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed or procrastinating until the last minute.
Prioritize your tasks according to their importance and urgency, and focus on the most critical ones first. Learn to say no to unnecessary or irrelevant requests or distractions that may interfere with your schedule.
Finally, reward yourself for completing tasks on time or ahead of schedule. This will help you to reinforce positive habits and improve your performance. There you have it.
词汇表
time optimist [ˈɒptɪmɪst] 时间乐观主义者（对自己的可用时间过度乐观的人）
underestimate [ˌʌndərˈestɪmeɪt] vt. 低估，对…估计不足
overestimate [ˌəʊvərˈestɪmeɪt] vt. 高估，对…估计过高
distorted perception [dɪˈstɔːtɪd pəˈsepʃn] 扭曲的感知，偏差的认知
prioritization [praɪˌɒrətaɪˈzeɪʃn] n. 优先级排序，确定优先顺序
resentful [rɪˈzentfl] adj. 愤恨的，不满的，憎恨的
timebender [taɪm ˈbendə(r)] n. 时间扭曲者（指打破常规时间观念的人）
latecomer [ˈleɪtkʌmə(r)] n. 迟到者，来晚的人
adrenaline [əˈdrenəlɪn] n. 肾上腺素
buzz [bʌz] n. 兴奋感，刺激感，快感
punctual [ˈpʌŋktʃuəl] adj. 守时的，准时的
calibrate [ˈkælɪbreɪt] vt. 校准，校正，调整
planner [ˈplænə(r)] n. 计划表，规划本
buffer time [ˈbʌfə(r)] 缓冲时间（为意外情况预留的时间）
subtask [ˈsʌbtɑːsk] n. 子任务，次级任务
interfere with [ˌɪntəˈfɪə(r) wɪð] 干扰，妨碍，干涉
reinforce [ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs] vt. 强化，加强，巩固
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