Time is a special type of resource. It’s there before it’s gone.

Gaining some control over it can become a challenge in an organization.

Asking a team to log the time they spend on different projects is a way to make time tangible. The simple fact to log time establishes awareness for it.

However, it also confronts people with their fantasies linked to time and performance. It gives them a mirror describing how much time the tasks cost them. Or maybe reminds them of the time disappearing with the different chats they had. All interesting and useful, but also effective?

If the picture in the mirror makes them feel proud of how well they worked, they will enjoy it. The exercise will become a supportive one helping them learn to manage their time. It makes them accountable.

If they dislike it, things will be different. Then they might deny whatever the picture tells them and settle with a feeling of being controlled. The denial allowing them to project their performance anxieties onto the organization. Transforming their work experience into being pressured to do more than they see themselves able to.

Their experience is independent of actually being controlled.

It depends on their sense of feeling in control.