Slow Down or Speed Up: The Time Illusion

 My mom has been making a comment that is becoming a regular now-a-days. On Saturdays, she will say, “It feels like the week just started, but the weekend is already here.” At the start of each month, she will say, “The month just started, but the next one is already here.” One of my teammates echoed a similar sentiment recently. I believe this feeling is very common, and we may differ on whether we say this to someone or not. So, is the time really moving that fast? And for everyone?

Of course, the actual time measurement is the same for all of us. It is our perception that makes time feel as if it is speeding up or slowing down, and that perception is deeply individual. While we have natural senses for things like sound or smell, we don’t have an innate sense to estimate time. For example, try starting a timer and then stopping it when you think a minute has passed without counting numbers, breaths, or using external cues. Chances are, you’ll stop too early. The point is that while we “use” clock time, we “live” in perceived time, and perceived time is what connects to our emotions. Understanding this is important because it shapes how we feel about our lives and influences our overall sense of well-being.

Take a college exam as an example and see how psychology alters your sense of time. Let’s say that it is a 3-hour test, and you have to stay for the full duration, whether you have completed the test or not. If you know the answers well, time will fly, and you’ll be rushing to finish before it ends. But if you’re unsure of the answers, and nothing in the environment holds your interest, those same 3 hours can feel like an eternity. Here are a few more: a trip might feel shorter than it actually is, while a visit to someone’s home in an unfamiliar area can make the journey there feel much longer than the return trip. Your grandpa might feel like the annual festival just happened, and now it’s here again so soon. And when you meet childhood friends, you might wonder if 10 plus years really passed that quickly.

This brings me to my question: Should we speed up or slow down our perceived time for a fulfilling life? Of course, I neither have the right answer, nor do I think I could follow one even if it existed. It is often noted that the more repetitive things we do, the faster time seems to pass. So, should we avoid it and slow down? But repetition is part of the universe’s nature — from the small, daily cycles to the grand cosmic ones, and to infinity. Maybe this repetition is a form of perfection. Home, work, hobbies, friends — all these keep us busy, and that busyness makes time feel like flying. So, should we avoid it and slow down? These activities are essential for our growth. Watching waves or water drip can feel peaceful, stretching out for hours. So, should we avoid it and speed up? But those are the moments our hearts long for. If we live like saints, sitting in stillness, we may seem to resist the rush of time. So, should we avoid it and speed up? In the end, whether saint or not, our fates remain the same.

Honestly, I know I’m rambling and have no confidence in what is “right.” But then again, maybe there isn’t a “right” way to live in terms of time. If “slow and steady” wins the race, then why can’t “fast and steady” win too? The key is “steady.” Life is about finding purpose and meaning in what we do, regardless of how fast or slow time seems to pass. If time feels like it’s speeding up or slowing down, perhaps that’s simply a signal to pause and reflect. It’s an alarm reminding us to ask: Are we living in alignment with what truly matters to us? Are we finding fulfilment in the moments we experience, or letting time slip away without purpose?

Ultimately, we can’t control the clock, but we can control how we engage with our time. By mindfully choosing our priorities and finding satisfaction in them, we can set the pace of our own lives. Let’s trust in our individuality and make time feel meaningful — not as something that rushes by or drags on, but as something we fully experience. Instead of worrying about speeding up or slowing down, maybe we should focus on living fully in every moment — letting time flow with our mindful awareness, not the mind’s unnecessary chatter. In the end, it’s not the speed of time that defines a life well-lived; it’s the depth of how we live it.