The passage of time is a fascinating perception of reality. The way our mind interprets the “experience” of time is truly mysterious. Our perception of time’s passage is not a constant, but a flexible construct shaped by our unconscious engagement.
Your brain is a recording device. When experiencing novel stimuli, like those encountered during travel, it captures details at a high “frame rate,” akin to slow-motion video. This flood of new information keeps the brain occupied, stretching our subjective perception of time. The newness or “emotionalness” of the experience or environment forces the brain to perceive everything at a much higher frame rate, and time is experienced slowly.
Imagine the frame rate of a video recorder and compression technology behind file size optimization. When your mind and body is experiencing something that requires high attention, perception is amped up to the highest rate, energy and space is expended. For everyday life, memory is compressed into the smallest size possible, removing redundancy and saving space.
Routine activities are recorded at a lower rate. The mind wants to conserve energy and space. Familiar experiences trigger the brain to reference past memories, minimizing the need for extensive new data storage. This “mental compression” explains why childhood, overflowing with novelty, seems to stretch endlessly, while adulthood, often mired in routine, feels like a blur with time passing ever faster.
The efficiency of this system is akin to data compression. Redundant information is discarded to conserve storage space. Similarly, the brain condenses familiar experiences, saving valuable mental resources. It also takes more energy for the mind to be at high alert and record at high speed. It’s only necessary when experiencing something new, important or dangerous.
However, the “recording rate” isn’t fixed. For example, the initial phase of a vacation, packed with fresh experiences, slows down perceived time. But as the routine sets in, the mental recording rate dips, and the subsequent days seem to fly by. Ever notice that during a 2 week vacation, the first week passes slowly, while the 2nd week zips by?
To combat the tyranny of time compression, novelty and emotional engagement is essential. Embrace new experiences, engage emotionally, consciously and push your boundaries. Get out of your normal routine, challenge yourself, engage your mind, your body, your emotions. This forces your mind to record time at a higher frame rate and you can savor the moment for much longer.
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