The time of our lives: the experience of temporality in occupation.

BACKGROUND: This paper synthesizes research and theory on aspects of activities producing variations in perceived temporality and subjective experience. SYNTHESIS: A proposed continuum of variations of six temporal experience are described: 1) protracted duration--elapsed time feels greater than actual elapsed clock time; 2) synchronicity--match of clock and perceived time; 3) compression--perceived time feels shorter than clock time; 4) flow--a sense of timelessness; 5) interstitial--perceived stoppage of clock time; and 6) temporal rupture--disruption of synchronicity of clock time. Five contextually situated steps that generate each of these temporal variations explain how these variations unfold in the experience of occupation. This synthesis is the basis for the Dynamic Occupation in Time (DOiT) Model which also incorporates the key occupational therapy concepts of human agency, personal engagement, context, and culture. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Investigating how occupations produce various temporalities and experiences will allow occupational scientists to investigate the underlying complexities of occupation-based practice. Also, by understanding more about the dynamic nature of occupations and appreciating the fluid quality of persons within their occupational context, occupational therapists can improve their design of occupation-based interventions.