In continuing to think about time…. I recently discussed how time seems to go faster when you get older. I’ve often heard that time flies when you’re having fun. But on the other hand, does time seem to go slower when you’re bored?
A bit of extensive research on my part found out that even though we feel sluggish and tired when we’re bored, at a physiological level it’s actually “a high arousal” state (as measured by a faster heart rate.) In turn, it’s well-established that greater arousal speeds up our brain’s “internal clock,” so that we feel that more time has passed than actually has.
Another theory is that the apparent slowing down of time is a kind of signal our brain sends to itself to convey that the current situation is unfulfilling and we should do something else….
Time goes too slow for those who are bored, too quick for those who procrastinate, too long for those without goals and too short for those without focus. But for those who live a life pursuing purpose, timing is perfect — and their time is always now.
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