Why Does Time Seem to Move Faster?

The Paradox of Time: The faster the clocks tick, the slower time seems to move.

While most of us experience time relatively, i.e. it seems to move differently for different people at different times (aka time dilation), it is mostly our emotional states that determine how we perceive time.

“Perception” in simple terms is the way something is understood or interpreted.

I have always been fascinated by time.

As a little kid, I would always wonder if I were in a dream waiting to be awakened by my parents in “real life”. Luckily, I’m still sleeping.

Later, it was followed by losing track of time exploring the Grandfather Paradox, All You Zombies, Interstellar, and the Buddhist concept of Anicca.

Recently, I learned that even science can’t explain where exactly is time calculated in our minds. So leaving the “hard problems” aside for now, let’s explore the journey of perception of time!

The Past: History of Pace of Life

Before the commodification of time around the 15th century, life was closely tied to natural cycles of climate and agriculture. Most of these events were slow. Life was mostly predictable. And time was abundant.

While many philosophers like Aristotle, Seneca, and Heraclitus discussed time in terms of its fleeting nature, the general perception of time was still focused on its slow pace.

It wasn’t until the rise of capitalism, that time became a resource. It became something that could be lost or saved. The focus on “productivity” led to strict schedules, time-bound tasks, and a motivation to eliminate the wastage of time.

Soon, railway tracks were laid down, telephone wires strangled roots, radio antennas covered the roofs, and airplanes took off (literally).

But how does that affect time at all?

The Present: Efficiency vs. Perception

The rise of communication and transportation technologies have made life faster and more “efficient”, which paradoxically is making time feel increasingly scarce.

Today, we live in an age of “time famine” where no matter the amount of efficiency and productivity technologies one may deploy, time is still perceived as a scarce resource.

Paradoxically, this leads to higher stress and anxiety making time feel slower.

But how do emotions affect the perception of time?

Turns out, that perception is intertwined with attention and memory. Our emotional states determine what we pay attention to and how memory is encoded.

Time perception is typically categorized into two primary methods: prospective and retrospective.

Prospective time perception occurs when individuals are actively aware of the passage of time. It also involves how engaging the task at hand is. The more cognitive resources something requires, the less attention will be paid to time making it look as moving faster.

Similarly, retrospective time perception occurs when individuals estimate the duration of an event after it has ended. It relies heavily on memory and how much information is remembered from a period. Unusual or emotionally charged events tend to be remembered more vividly and in greater detail, which can make a particular time period seem longer in retrospect.

With the advancements in technology, our attention spans have reduced significantly. Similarly, our memories have gotten worse due to overstimulation and heavy reliance on external storage of information.

Life has become shorter. And time has started moving faster.

But where are we headed from here?

Future Implications: The Mystery of Time

Where time is processed in our brains remains a mystery. However, understanding time perception as an emotional phenomenon opens up the door to managing it.

The general patterns of time perception are:

• High Arousal Slows Time Perception

• Boredom Stretches Time

• Happiness Speeds Time Up

• Anxiety and Anticipation Stretch Time

• Sadness Slows Time

Curating experiences using immersive technologies can, therefore, allow for the alleviation of suffering and the elongation of happiness.

For example, a study published by NIH in 2022 stated that VR is safe and effective in relieving maternal labor pain and anxiety. Similarly, Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy has proven to be effective in treating PTSD.

But on the flip side, hyper-connectivity due to advancements in communication and transportation technologies has also led to an increase in dopamine production in our minds. Instant gratification, facilitated by instant communication and real-time updates, can lead to a cycle of constant dopamine hits that might contribute to a distorted perception of time passing too quickly.

I strongly believe that there’s no one right way to live life. So whether one feels life as short, or thinks that “there’s enough time”, is simply an approach that works for them.

However, the ability to choose the approach you adopt allows you to exercise free will in a much broader scope.

While everyone wants to live longer, a short and meaningful life wouldn’t be bad either.

How do you perceive time? Do you think life is short, or do you feel you have enough time?

Share your thoughts in the comments, or drop me a DM on X or LinkedIn.