#time famine

At present, I’m going to meet yesterday

except, he’s postponed our meeting to tomorrow

They say life is fleeting, too short for a proper greeting

Which is why I like to try to laugh at sorrow

these split seconds are mine to borrow

Citation

Vuckovic, Nancy

     1999 Fast Relief: Buying Time with Medications. In Medical Anthropology Quarterly.  American Anthropological Association 13(1): 51-68.  Electronic document, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.proxy-tu.researchport.umd.edu/doi/10.1525/maq.1999.13.1.51/pdf. Accessed March 21, 2015.

Abstract

When thinking about the possibility of “losing time,” what immediately comes to mind?  Losing time to do homework?  Losing time to cook dinner?  Losing time to sleep?  With these thoughts in mind, the idea of losing time is ultimately bad.  As Vuckovic begins in “Fast Relief: Buying Time with Medications,” “Lack of time is a plague of industrialized, high-income societies”, or what she likes to term as, “time famine” in the contemporary U.S. (1999: 51).  The experience of time famine happens to affect everyday decisions that consequently affect household life, self-care, and self-medication.  Vuckovic’s research primarily surrounded the lives of different mothers of young children, but what was found was that time famine affects the lives of women and men of all ages alike.

The Western view of time is commonly generated as “a scarce resource that ought to be normally utilized,” as influenced by the spirit of capitalism (Vuckovic 1999: 52).  In turn, technological advancements came about, which expanded the expectations of productivity and discipline.  The ability to multitask enabled a faster pace in work and other modes of productive activity.  One clear example is the existence of cell phones—a device that individuals can be easily reached virtually anywhere at an expected appropriate and timely manner. Whether it is through e-mail, phone, text or other applications, the concept of a cell phone enables its user to become both a productive citizen and consumer in capitalistic society.  The idea of time famine has therefore permeated through all forms of social nature and mindsets to the point that it also affects how individuals react to illness.

As women were the primary subjects of Vuckovic’s research, it was noted that “despite changes in gender roles related to wage and domestic labor, women are still predominantly responsible for the day-to-day care of children, for the upkeep of the home, and for domestic health care on a broad level” (Vuckovic 1999: 54).  Yet at the same time, these mothers also happened to have full-time jobs and other social commitments that they chose to maintain.  Time famine played a large role in these women’s lives, as it became a practical need to maintain the household and workplace to preserve the U.S. cultural ideal of progress and productivity.  The phrase, “I don’t have time to be sick,” became a running motto for these women in the study.  Not only were these women overworking themselves leading to lack of sleep, but they were also avoiding taking time off from work whenever they are ill.  “Women reach for medicinal solutions to alleviate symptoms quickly, and to avoid having them ‘go into’ something worse.” (Vuckovic 1999: 56).  At times, whether the symptoms are minor or major, the consumption of medicine tends to increase anyhow in order to prevent future symptoms from emerging.  In fact, this also applies to how women respond to their children’s illnesses as well.  One report from a mother regarding her child’s illness includes, “So, if they wake up with a temperature, I give them some Tylenol and then we go to school and we pray that the temperature doesn’t go up during the day and they don’t call me” (Vuckovic 1999: 58).  This mindset comes solely from the fact that women are continuing their opportunity towards productive labor and even avoiding professional medical care, as in tapping into the family’s financial resources.

Another interesting expectation of medicinal effects involves the “instant gratification” of consuming “greater amounts and varieties of medications” (Vuckovic 1999: 60).  The impatience with illness is now further emphasized in the impatience with medicinal efficiency. Women reported that they became impatient when medicines failed to achieve a desired effect after a short time, as seen in the quote, “I should feel better in about 10 minutes.  And if not, I’ll just take more” (Vuckovic 1999: 60). Soon, multisymptom products caught interest in promoting time efficiency in illness and less time spent buying separate products for specificity.  Yet, in the case of productivity, non-drowsy formulas (daytime products without antihistamines) are also used in order to alleviate symptoms while at work.  “Turning a sick day into a work day” avoids losing time to illness and simultaneously, keeping consumers loyal to brand commodities of the pharmaceutical industry.

In terms of sleep, the sleep-inducing effect of antihistamines can be desirable as a way of being efficient even while sleeping.  Vuckovic mentions, “On occasion, the sleep-inducing effect of cold and allergy medicines was so desired that women took products with antihistamines even when they did not have respiratory symptoms” (1999: 61). Instead, women take these agents in order to fall asleep quickly in case their nights are “unproductive” and “in order to avoid losing time because of an uncooperative body” (Vuckovic 1999: 61).

The concept of time famine is widely recognized in all social classes, gender, and cultures, despite the time of the article’s initial publishing.  Due to the ever-increasing industrial society and technological advancements in modern day, the possibility of losing time from being productive and efficient is costly.  It affects activity, relationships, health, commodities and more. The focus on medicinal consumption is just one example of how time and need for productivity affects health. Medicines ultimately allow an individual’s time management to be resourceful by eliminating the sick role and preventing to “bother” the individual with the natural biological functions that respond to bacteria or viruses entering the body.  As mentioned before, children are also affected as well due to the demand for quick fixes by OTC medications instead of immediate professional care. As a time-saving commodity, medicines prevent worry of “losing time” in this society.

 Themes

Time famine, which is a plague involving chronic shortage of time, pervades all of contemporary U.S. society

Medicines are used as time-saving commodities in increasing an individual’s capacity to be efficient

Whether minor or major symptoms are occurring, individuals consume medications to prevent later symptoms from aggregating or worsening to maintain productivity

My Interest

Often times, and I think I can speak for a lot of people here, is that there's so so so much I want to get done before I leave for work in the mornings. It may not be the mornings for you guys, but I'm sure you can relate. It may be a desire to get everything on your to do list accomplished by the end of the work day. For me, it's doing all the personal stuff I want to do like meditate, exercise, shower, take care of my skin (I can talk about that later but I have some skin issues), do my hair and make up, eat a healthy breakfast, make lunch to take to work, etc. Ultimately, I'm running out the door (already late) stressed out and frazzled. 

So now, I've been repeating a mantra to myself in the mornings which is: "I have enough time for everything that is important." 

Between work, licence exams (for work), and school - I have NO time for anything.  Luckily, after tomorrow I will be relieved of some of my work load and I can get back to making yummy recipes at home.

Don't think this time famine has caused me to fall off the Paleo wagon.  What is different this time is that it doesn't feel like a wagon I could even fall off.  I mean, it's not a fad or a gimmick for me.  So, it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be to resist temptation, even when I don't have as much time to plan my meals as I would like to.

Thing I've Been Eating to Make it Through My Time Famine:

1.  Rotisserie chicken.  It's at most groceries that have a deli section.  It's just marinated chicken cooked on a spit.  Can't get more cavewoman than that.  Unless, I guess, you killed it yourself.

2.  Steamfresh veggies.  I'm not big on packaged stuff.  When possible, I try to buy local.  But sometimes, it's just easier to throw a bag of unseasoned steamed broccoli into the microwave.  

3. Steamable sweet potatoes.  They come in a bag, too.  Cavewoman  didn't have a microwave, but she also probably grew her own damn sweet potatoes.  I like to steam mine, then mash them in a bowl with a little almond milk.  It's quick and delish.  Throw some dried cranberries or pecans in there to mix it up.

4.  Larabars.  I normally IF between 7pm and 12pm, but sometimes I sneak in a Larabar around 10am to tide me over until I can eat a real meal. 

5.  Fruit & Almonds.  It's the easiest thing to throw in a sandwich bag and pack for work.  

6. Eggs.  They're quick and easy.  I used to douse my eggs in ketchup.  Since I haven't had the time or patience to make Paleo ketchup just yet, I've switched to Tabasco sauce.  It's just Cayenne and Vinegar.  I love things with less than 3 ingredients.