How to Stop Time

Every evening as I remove the pillows from my bed, the nightly ritual signaling the end of another day, I inevitably think: Where did the day go?

When I glance at photos of my now-adult children that line the stairs, capturing as if in amber a moment from decades ago, I think: Where did the years go?

Time does fly, as they say. And every so often, I'm sure I can hear it whooshing by.

Does time accelerate as we age, speeding faster with each passing year? Why did the summers of our youth seem to stretch endlessly as we read and rode bikes? And why isn’t it like that now?

Curious, I turned to neuroscientists for answers. Their research confirms that time perception is not just about the ticking of the clock but a construct of the brain. Turns out, our perception of time is malleable and within our control. It’s shaped by how we choose to experience the days, hours, and moments of our lives. So what exactly determines whether a moment lingers or disappears?

One factor relates to memory density. When we encounter novel experiences, our brains record more details that, in retrospect, make time feel elongated. This explains why childhood summers felt endless. Our brains were constantly encoding fresh, first-time memories. Our adult experiences that are now routine and familiar don’t embed in our brain in the same way as they did in our youth, resulting in fewer distinct memories and reinforcing a perception that time is speeding by.

Other factors, such as attention and emotion, also elongate time. When we experience fear, excitement, or deep focus, the memory is emotionally meaningful, and we are fully tuned in. This expands our perception of time. But when we are distracted or emotionally disengaged, the moments of our life slip past and are lost to memory.

With this understanding, can we slow down time? Yes. Here are a few research-based suggestions:

Embrace novelty. Seek new and challenging experiences because routine can dull our sense of time. When days blend, life slips by unnoticed. But with novel experiences, our brain forms vivid, detailed memories and strengthens our perception of time. When we do something new, such as traveling to a different city, learning a new skill, or shaking up our routine, it forces our brains to form rich, detailed memories that stretch time.

Think about it. The first time you visit a new place, the memory sticks. Return to that place again and again, and the details will blur. Those who vacation in the same spot every year often say one trip blends into the next. Even a weekend in an unfamiliar neighborhood can reset your sense of time. Try rearranging your furniture, picking up a new craft, or taking a different route to work. The more novelty you build into your life, the longer your life will feel.

Practice mindfulness. Be fully present in whatever you are doing to deepen your experience and slow time down. Studies show that mindfulness meditation not only reduces stress but also elongates our perception of time. Take a walk and notice the homes, trees, and flowers along the way. When you pay close attention, even ordinary moments will linger longer.

This kind of mindful presence also leads to flow, a state where self-awareness fades and hours seem to disappear. Surprisingly, flow makes time feel expansive afterward because the brain consolidates those rich, focused experiences into lasting memories. Whether you're quietly observing your surroundings or immersed in a task you love, mindfulness and flow help stretch time in meaningful ways.

Engage emotionally. Intense emotions, whether awe, joy, or even fear, will deepen our perception of time. People often describe accidents or near misses as unfolding in slow motion. ​​That’s because fear floods the brain with adrenaline and bolsters memory encoding.

Awe works similarly. Have you ever looked up at a starlit sky and watched for a falling star? If you’re patient, you will see one, and that single moment can remain with you for years. I recently found myself wondering why I no longer spot four-leaf clovers, something I did often as a child. Then I realized the answer was simple. I stopped looking. I no longer seek that state of awe and give my attention to the search.

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Stop multitasking. Opt to single-task. Multitasking is the culprit that dilutes our attention span and weakens memory formation. When your brain is bouncing like a ball from task to task, it fails to record strong memories, and time feels like it's slipping away. Try this: At dinner or when with friends, silence your phone and give your full and undivided attention to the conversation. You’ll remember those moments far longer than if you were routinely glancing at your phone.

Recall happy moments. Actively savor positive experiences by writing them down or reliving them in conversations with family and friends. Revisiting happy moments strengthens your memories and imprints them more deeply in your brain. There's a bonus! Reliving positive memories not only slows the perception of time, it also creates a cascade of dopamine and boosts happiness, as research consistently shows.

Do a digital detox. Stop scrolling. Endless scrolling compresses time. Research indicates that continuous digital interruptions compress our perception of time, making days feel shorter and less memorable. Give yourself a digital vacation for a day, a weekend, or even a month. Try silencing the beep-beep-beep of notifications on your phone so your thoughts and memory formation are not constantly interrupted. Check emails and social media only at set times. Rather than consuming digital content, be a content creator—write, cook, or create something extraordinary.

Together, this helps explain why many describe the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic as a blur. It was a time when routines flattened, social engagement evaporated, and one day became indistinguishable from the next. Our perception of time collapsed along with them.

While we know we can’t stop time, we can deliberately shape how we experience it. Ultimately, slowing down time is about choosing how we engage in our daily lives.

The poet John Keats described memorable experiences we have as “moments big as years.” Reflect on this: Why do some years pass without leaving behind any bright memories, while certain fleeting moments loom large and remain vivid for a lifetime? These “moments big as years” were undoubtedly the times you were in love, laughing, or feeling fully alive.

This knowledge is an invitation to create more, brighter, bigger, lasting memories. As philosopher William James once said, “The more details we notice, the longer our lives seem.”