THE HUMAN TIME MACHINE

From an early age it’s evident that the passage of time is relative. A school day can drag interminably while you watch wistfully as a beautiful spring day eases by outside. Christmas lingers tantalizingly in the distance for weeks on end, only to have Christmas day pass in the blink of an eye.

As we age, another type of relativity works its magic on our perception of the passage of time. Long ago memories stretch out languidly before our eyes. Summer days lingered, stretching gracefully into tranquil, lazy evenings. There was time to sit on the porch, lounge in the grass, and chase fireflies. But fast forward to today, and the days hurry by like strangers racing for the train. Another day has passed before we can truly get to know it, rushing off so quickly that, looking back, it’s often hard to tell it from any other. As I contemplated this human time-warp, I became increasingly curious about ways we might counteract it. What I found is fascinating.

One possible explanation for why our days feel so frenzied is that, as we age, one day accounts for progressively less and less of our total time on Earth. This reflects the steady and unalterable forward march of time. But another explanation is that our daily routines make it impossible to distinguish one day from another. And, as it turns out, we can alter our perception of the passage of time by breaking free of our self-imposed routines.

Keep in mind, however, that while in the midst of exploring some new activity, place, or challenge, time may seem to move more quickly. When we are fully absorbed in a fun, novel, or challenging experience, we are more likely to find ourselves in “flow”. This is a state of mind where all distractions are blocked from our immediate awareness, and we can focus exclusively on what is right in front of us. And reaching a flow state can cause a distorted sense of time, usually a feeling that time has passed faster than usual.

It is in retrospect that we reap the benefits. When looking back on our experiences, our perception of time is altered. In her book, “Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception”, Claudia Hammond describes the holiday paradox. Her assertion is that when we experience something new and enjoyable, time races. Think, Christmas morning! But then we remember that experience, it seems more expansive, like it filled even more time than it actually did.

Below are a few strategies that can slow our perception of the passage of time.

Be Childlike

Exploration is a natural desire for most children. It is, in fact, an inherent state of mind for young beings of all sorts, the human kind as well as animals. Exploration is not for the faint of heart. It’s an adventure that requires creativity, curiosity, and open-mindedness along with healthy amounts of self-compassion and trust. This state of mind forms the foundation of the remaining strategies, because it is precisely this sense of adventure and openness to trying new things that will create the willingness and energy you need to break out of a mundane routine.

Seek Adventure

Let’s start big. What is an adventure you’d love to have? If you have a vacation on your horizon, take along the child-like desire for adventure and explore your surroundings. If you’re in a new place, novelty is everywhere. Put a little extra energy into trying new foods, getting off the beaten path, or trying a new skill. Learn to wind surf. Take a cooking or wine tasting class. Stay in a neighborhood instead of a hotel. Rent bicycles instead of driving.

But your adventure doesn’t have to be a vacation. It could be a day trip to a nearby town, listening to live music from a genre you don’t usually listen to, joining a book club, learning a new language, picking up a musical instrument, or taking lessons in anything that sets your heart alight. You get the picture!

Change Your Everyday

If we focus in on things even smaller and closer to home, the opportunities abound. What can you think of that you do automatically to such a degree that it’s difficult to remember them at all?

Consider changing something as habitual as your route to work, the place at home where you eat dinner, what you eat for breakfast, what you do first thing in the morning or right before bed, or how you schedule your workday.

Imagine the impact of stopping on the way to work to watch the sunrise, making dinner into a backyard picnic, going outside to check on the moon and stars before turning in for the night, or inviting a friend to an afternoon movie on a workday. A day with a little twist can become a day to remember!

Go Outside

Looking for a natural way to slow down time? A 2017 study showed that nature leads to the perception that time is passing more slowly. (1)  The root cause of this seems to lie within nature itself because the only difference between groups in the study was a natural vs urban setting. Perhaps the secret lies in the power of nature sights and sounds to lower stress levels and offer us a way to “reset” our brains from the overwhelming demands on our attention and focus. (2)

But nature may have another card to play as well. Awe is a positive emotion that has demonstrated the ability to slow our perception of time. (3)  And while there are many sources of awe, including witnessing feats of human accomplishment, nature is a well-known catalyst. Expansive landscapes, mountains, animals, waterfalls, sunrises and sunsets, and storms are typical sources.

The perception that time goes by more quickly as we age is a familiar human experience. We cannot alter the fact that as we age, every hour, day, and year make up less and less of our overall experience. But there are strategies that can help lengthen the memories of our experiences. Filling our lives with fun, unique, and noteworthy events produces the prolonged and expansive memories that go with them.

References

1.Davydenko, M., & Peetz, J. (2017). Time grows on trees: The effect of nature settings on time perception. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 54, 20–26.

2. Ohly, H., White, M.P., Wheeler, B.W., Bethel, A., Ukoumunne, O.C., Nikolaou, V., & Garside, R. (2016). Attention Restoration Theory, A systematic review of the attention restoration potential of exposure to natural environments. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 19 (7), 305 – 343.

3.Rudd, M., Vohs, K. D., & Aaker, J. (2012). Awe expands people’s perception of time, alters decision making, and enhances well-being. Psychological Science, 23, 1130–1136.