"The workplace is naturally fast today," says Zomnir, who lives in Laguna Beach. "When I started working, fax machines were new, and overnight mail was a luxury. Now we use E-mail instead of memos. I think it's good that things are happening more quickly in the business world. The technological advances make people more responsible for their work. They can't blame delays on the postal service anymore."
In her personal life, however, Zomnir isn't so content with the speed of things.
"Sometimes I think, I should still be 24. When did I turn 27, and when will I be able to accomplish my personal goals? Because of work constraints, my personal life just flies by. I'd rather work four hours a day and spend the rest of my time pursuing personal interests, such as exercising, spending time outside with my dog and volunteering for worthwhile causes," she says.
Zomnir has found that her view of time passing quickly has affected her relationship with her boyfriend, who reacts differently to warp speed.
"While I react to the fact that things are going fast by trying to get more done and catch up, my boyfriend will try to slow time down by relaxing, which I'm sure is very healthy," she says. "I'm very goal-oriented, though, and it's hard for me to relax. I'll try to get him to accomplish things with me, but he'll often resist. Instead of mellowing out, I'll pace around the house."
James Barry, 41, an environmental consultant in Orange, also has a hard time sitting still.
"When I see things going by so fast, I feel like I have to fill in what time there is with something productive," he says. "Because I'm self-employed, I constantly put financial connotations to time, and it's hard to get out of that."
For Barry, life is moving so quickly it's hard for him to place events in time. "It all kind of runs together," he says. "Unless something happened near a significant event, I can't remember when it happened."
Time is moving especially quickly in Barry's personal life. "I feel as if I'm accomplishing a lot with my business, but I would like to have more time for personal pursuits. I live with my girlfriend and wish I had more time with her, but work often comes creeping in. I try to take Sundays off, which is a relatively new concept for me, but I still end up doing some work at home."
Barry does have one hobby that allows him to enter a timeless space. "I read about two books a week," he says. "Compared to most things in my life, it is very relaxing, and it's easy to lose track of time. I'll look up from a book and see that 45 minutes have passed."
