Why time runs too fast and how to slow it down

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The older we get, the faster time rushes. The reason for this is in our perception of life. If you change it, you can also influence the speed of time.

Why time begins to flow faster with age

The endless summer of childhood ends, time begins to move faster and faster. Sooner or later, everyone is faced with this sad fact.

There are various theories as to why this is happening. The most logical is that in childhood and adolescence, we constantly do something for the first time. First kiss, first night out, first love, first day at school or university, first car … Each such first event fascinates and makes us remember the smallest details. And the more we remember it, the more intense it seems.

When we go through similar experiences over and over again, that novelty is gone. Therefore, time is accelerating.

We experience a similar state of affairs on vacation. The first few days do not fly by as quickly as the next. This is due to the fact that in the second part of the trip, the surroundings become more and more familiar.

Neuroscientist David Eagleman, who studies time perception, calls it an elastic thing that changes depending on how closely we interact with our experience. The stronger this connection, the slower time moves.

Time slows down if we are careful. Because we just start to notice more.

This is especially true during emergencies or some kind of traumatic event, since in this case we are more inclined to focus on the details. If you've ever had a car accident, then you probably remember the feeling that an ambulance has been traveling for ages.

How to slow down time

If time depends on our perception, then we are able to slow it down.

A good way is to train mindfulness.

This can be done while eating, savoring each bite of food slowly and for a long time. In Buddhist practice, this is called mindful eating.

Another way is to be in nature, watching water or trees and listening to birds singing.

Another great method is to recall your past experiences in detail and share them with others, orally or in writing.

Here are some topics you can use for this exercise:

• Write about special moments from the past year.
• Write about all the moments of birth or death that affected you.
• Write about achievements that you are proud of.
• Write a letter of gratitude to someone who has done something good for you.
• Write about a new passion.
• Write about any positive transformations in your life.

Other ways to develop mindfulness are described in these articles:

• 5 Easy Ways To Cultivate Mindfulness For Those Who Hate To Meditate →
• How to make your life conscious →
• 7 Simple Tricks to Increase Mindfulness →
• Mindfulness Lessons from Special Forces →