As people grow older, they often notice that time seems to pass more quickly.
This phenomenon is not unique to any individual; it’s something many experience.
The Perception of Time
One reason for this feeling is the way we perceive time as a percentage of our lives. Ruth Ogden, a psychology professor, explains that when we’re younger, a single year is a significant portion of our life. For example, when a person is eight years old, one year is one-eighth of their life. By the time they reach 80, a year is just one-eightieth. This shift can contribute to the sensation of time speeding up.
Memory’s Role in Time
Another factor is how memories shape our sense of time. The brain doesn’t constantly track time, so we rely on our memories to judge how long periods have lasted. If a lot of new memories are created during a time period, it may seem longer. When fewer new experiences occur, like in later years, the feeling of time passing quickly is more pronounced.
The Impact of Routine
As people age, they often fall into more predictable routines, resulting in fewer new memories. In youth, daily life is filled with novel experiences, whether learning new things at school or meeting new people. As people get older, fewer new activities or experiences fill their days, and this repetition can make time feel stagnant.
Embracing New Experiences to Slow Down Time
The Importance of Novelty
Engaging in new activities is essential to slowing the perception of time. Joshua Foer, author of Moonwalking With Einstein, notes that monotony makes time seem to collapse, while novelty unfolds it. By introducing new experiences, people can stretch out their perception of time.
New activities require cognitive effort and attention. This focus creates vivid memories that stand out in our minds, making the experience feel more substantial and time seem to pass more slowly.
How New Experiences Affect Time
Ogden compares the experience of driving to a new location with that of driving on a familiar route. The unfamiliar journey feels longer because there are more new sights and more planning involved. This principle also applies to other new activities. Novelty disrupts the usual routine, which in turn alters how time is experienced.
Disrupting Routines
When someone breaks their routine, they gain a sense of control over how their time is spent. This control can make people feel like time is not slipping away. In addition, while the moment itself might feel fast, reflecting on the experience later makes it seem much longer. This phenomenon is called the “holiday paradox,” where vacations feel short while recalling them makes them seem extended.
How to Add More Novelty to Your Life?
Ways to Infuse Freshness
There are various ways to bring novelty into life. One option is to travel to new places or even just drive a different route.
Picking up a new hobby, like painting or taking a cooking class, can also break the routine. Meeting new people, whether through activities or volunteering, can also infuse life with excitement and newness.
It’s also important to engage in real-world experiences, as online activities, though new, don’t provide the same benefits. Stepping away from screens and turning online interests into physical activities can lead to a greater sense of fulfillment and time well spent.
Making Time for Novelty
Creating time in the schedule to try new things ensures that these experiences don’t get overlooked due to busy routines. Keeping track of new activities can also highlight how much is being accomplished. It’s easy to forget how many new things one has done, and recording them can help reinforce the sense of time well spent.
Finding Balance
While novelty is important, it’s also crucial to balance it with activities that bring joy and satisfaction. A fulfilling life doesn’t only come from doing new things; it also comes from enjoying what’s familiar. The key is to strike a balance between the comfort of familiar experiences and the excitement of new ones.
Why Life Seems to Speed Up as We Age
Video By Veritasium
