How To Slow Down Time

By Eleanor Gil April 2, 2025

Time seems to pass by too quickly—it feels like you had just stepped into your third grade classroom for the first time yesterday, yet in two months, you are set to graduate high school. It can be an unnerving reality, but thankfully, there are several habits you can gradually integrate into your life to slow down your chronoception, the perception of time.

First, pursue activities that involve directly confronting your fears. Fear of rejection? Ask someone you are unfamiliar with an uncomfortable request. Scared of public speaking? Speak to someone new at least once every day. Afraid of failure? Try something completely foreign to you, whether it be juggling, playing an uncommon instrument or learning a new language. According to Live Science, confronting fears or trying different activities appears to slow time down because the brain releases adrenaline, processing more unusual information than normal and forming new memories. At least, this time-slowing is true for remembering such emotionally salient events.

Another habit is having open conversations with your family, friends or peers to focus on a much broader strategy: engaging in the present. When you partake in deep conversations, you feel more noticeably present with your surroundings and are able to connect with people more profoundly. Although it is difficult for some, sharing your feelings and thoughts with those you trust can help you form meaningful, lasting memories.

Finally, practice mindfulness by taking some time out of your day to be bored. Simply, sit in silence and do nothing for ten minutes. Although many cannot tolerate boredom, National Geographic found that it sparks creativity and gives the brain crucial time to rest, clearing your mind and allowing your consciousness to focus on the present. In boredom, you are acutely aware of every passing second and may come to appreciate life at its most austere form, exposed by time.

While it is impossible to turn back the time that has already passed, you still have a life full of diversity and excitement in front of you to make the most out of while creating lasting memories, if only you choose to spend your time thoughtfully.

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About the Contributor

Eleanor Gil is a junior at Leland High and the page editor for School News and Feature School for The Charger Account. She loves to cultivate a quiet, eclectic joy derived from various interests and hobbies and above all, learning.