Are You Monochronic or Polychronic?

- How we perceive time affects how we manage it.

When you travel overseas, it’s worth knowing whether you’re in a monochronic or polychronic culture. Taking care of that may not be top of your travel checklist but, be it for business of pleasure, it pays to know before you go that different people perceive priorities and manage time in vastly different ways.

Although days have been divided down into hours, minutes and seconds, people in the part of the world you’re travelling to may not interpret time the way you do. Understanding this is absolutely crucial for understanding each other.

The monochronic-polychronic concept was first introduced by Edward Hall’s The Silent Language (1959). The premise is that peope are monochrons or polychrons.

So, what’s the difference?

Monochronic culture runs the Western World. That’s not to say that everyone is a monochron -- far from it. But life, work and society are organized according to monochronic principles. Activities are structured and scheduled in a linear fashion, based on clarity of purpose, efficiency of execution and economic progress. Logic, order, punctuality and productivity define the mindset in which being and knowing serve doing and having.

Depending on your own personality, travel to countries where time is managed differently to the way you’re used to will be confusing, frustrating, liberating or, most likely, a combination of all three. If you live by plans and schedules, you’ll need to adjust your mindset for a trip to a part of the world where less emphasis is placed on these things and, of course, the opposite is true.

Which list most accurately describes you?

For example, I’m a monochron with some polychron leanings. The mono me likes to be on time, enjoys getting things done and loves crossing off lists. But the poly part doesn’t want to be ‘forced’ to work (internally or externally) too long on the same task or unless the mood takes me.

On the other hand, a friend of mine is an out and out polychron. He meets deadlines when the pain of not doing so outweighs his natural inclination which is to put people before productivity.

Wherever you are, time management in the workplace is affected by the culture you’re in, the personalities you work with and your own perception of time. Different philosophies offer different benefits. Neither is right or wrong, but it helps to understand that we all manage time according to what we’re part of and how we feel.

• Go from Monochronic or Polychronic to Articles on Time Management

• Go from Monochronic or Polychronic to Effective Time Management Tips and Techniques

• Back to the top