The researchers identified three simple ways of feeling like you have more time in regards to multitasking, even when you actually don't:

1. Breathe

It sounds simple but it works. A test group of participants were asked to follow this instruction: "Please breathe so that each complete breath (inhale plus exhale) lasts 11 counts. The inhale should last 5 counts (i.e., 1-2-3-4-5) and the exhale should last 6 counts (6-7-8-9-10-11)". And this increased the participants' subjective sense of time, compared to those who didn't do the breathing exercise.

2. Re-frame the way you think about your tasks

In one group, participants were asked to thing about two tasks were competing for their time, and follow this instruction: "Please read the following statement out loud: "I AM EXCITED!" Repeat the statement three times before moving on to the next page. Try to believe what you are saying." The other group were asked to merely repeat their names out loud three times instead. The first group again reported an increase in perception of time.

3. Minimise variety from your hours and increase it over weeks

"Our findings have clear and practical implications for how people can plan their time in order to feel happier and more productive," the authors say. "Start by scheduling more varied activities into your days, weeks, and months and removing variety from your hours and minutes. Even if the activities themselves can’t be changed (for instance, parents may have to multitask in that hour before getting themselves and their kids out of the door in the morning), simply focusing on the features that minimize the variety among the activities should be sufficient to obtain the resulting boost in happiness. So think about your morning tasks collectively as 'getting ready tasks' rather than as a variety of different tasks that need to get done. That will make you happier and the time feel more productive."

You might also like; 'The great multitasking myth'

Words: Anna Brech, Photos: Getty

Three easy ways to feel like you have more time in a hectic day, even when you don't