In monochronic cultures – like those of the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Canada, Taiwan, South Korea, and Turkey, to name a few – time is divided strictly into specific tasks. Business schedules are essential, as “time is money.” A manager’s agenda is pre-arranged and precise.
Instead of working on one individual task at a time, those who prefer a polychronic time system often have several things going at once, and they work towards accomplishing each task fluidly and in their own time. Polychronicity is preferred in cultures that are not overly concerned about deadlines and precision.
Here are a few: Polychronic Monochronic Do multiple things at once Complete one task at a time Are subject to interruptions and distrac ... Concentrate on the task at hand Time commitments are flexible Deadlines and schedules are strict Are relationship-focused Are job-focused 3 more rows ...
Polychronic time refers to a method of managing time, where many events occur at once. This multitasking approach can be attributed to the importance of professional relationships, as cultures that use polychronic time tend to value relationships over schedules because time is less predictable.
Monochronic time refers to a method of managing time in which events are occurring sequentially or in a linear pattern. Scheduling in monochronic time is important, as time is valuable to the monochromic workplace.
One time management style is not necessarily better than the other, even if you may personally prefer monochronic or polychronic.
A few benefits to using polychronic time when managing a project include the encouragement of teamwork and the ability to multitask. Some project managers may also need to use polychronic time management to meet the needs of their international team members. Here are a few tips for using polychronic time:
Polychronicity is preferred in cultures that are not overly concerned about deadlines and precision.
Business schedules are essential, as “time is money.”. A manager’s agenda is pre-arranged and precise. Many other idioms involving time have been coined in such cultures, such as the phrase “killing time,” which means you have time to waste. Or “take your time,” which means there is no deadline.
Latin American, Arab, African, and South Asian cultures tend toward polychronicity. These cultures also tend to value relationships, traditions, seasonal cycles, and community over the completion of tasks in an orderly fashion.
As you may have guessed, monochronic cultures are quite the opposite of polychronic cultures. In monochronic cultures – like those of the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Canada, Taiwan, South Korea, and Turkey, to name a few – time is divided strictly into specific tasks.