OCCURRENCE
What is dichotomous occurrence?
With regard to dichotomous occurrences, “time is of the essence.” Unless events are occurring simultaneously, they are happening at different times. These differences could entail a sequence of events, or be randomly distributed, but either way the incidents are separated temporally. We take note of this because time (at least occasionally, often usually) matters. The rates of recurrent events enable us to calculate speed, velocity, and acceleration. Knowing the beginning and ending of episodes enables us to triangulate the duration and cessation of behaviours.
Since a considerable proportion of our activities are scheduled by the clock (waking time, breakfast time, work time, coffee time, lunch time, training time, quitting time, supper time, TV time, bed time, wintertime, summertime, vacation time, etc.), we have to know what happens when, and conduct ourselves accordingly. Both science and technology incorporate time as a major parameter. Economics, politics, and law use the occurrence or non-occurrence of specific behaviours and patterns of behaviour as major indicators of profit and loss, support or opposition, compliance on non-compliance.
How are dichotomous occurrences used?
If you have to catch a mode of transport (carpool, bus, train, plane), other than one devoted exclusively to your own use you probably need and will use a timetable to schedule your departure and arrival. Otherwise you may be late, and may not even get a ride at all. So you plan ahead, to get the timetable, to consult it, to schedule your departure, to anticipate your arrival, and to fulfill all of these plans.
To one extent or another you also plan your work activities, your vacation agenda, your educational and training experiences, your career efforts and achievements, and your retirement. All of these episodes in your life involve time to an important extent, even when you are “relaxing” and “not watching the clock” (you can only choose to NOT attend to the clock in special circumstances, and for limited periods of time, beyond which inattention leads to trouble). Is this “the rat race” or “good time management?” Either way, time keeps moving.
Methodologically, the secret to good time management is not to over-schedule or double-book yourself or others. Budget time so as to allow occasions for rest and reflection, and to permit time to double-check and possibly retro-fit previous activities or outcomes. Time is important, but so is deciding how to use it, and how not to use it. Doing more and more things is not the same as achieving worthwhile objectives – so keeping track of time should be seen as a means to enabling accomplishments, rather than of pushing oneself beyond reasonable limits.
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