Why does time feel like its going by so fast then at times it feels like its barely moving?

Question

What are your thoughts on this?

Answer 1

There have actually been studies conducted that demonstrate that your brain actually works faster at some times than others. This has been tied to adrenaline and other factors.

In one such experiment, a scientist found that people bungee jumping could see and memorize numbers flashing on a wrist display that were going much faster than they could if they were standing still (link 1). Likewise, it is known that people can simply react faster to some kinds of stimuli rather than others - it's no accident that races have been started with the shot of a gun since the 1880's (link 2).

Nor are these things accidents, either. It obviously has an immense survival advantage to occasionally be able to think really, really fast. Conversely, your brain normally uses 20% of your body's oxygen and 30% of your body's energy... so do you want it running at top speed ALL the time!

Sometimes, I'm sure, your brain is responding to stimuli you are not even completely aware of, and does so in ways you would not exactly consciously prefer... thus the experience many of us have had of a lecture that drags on forever or a fun experience that is over all too quickly. So it goes.

Answer 2

Because there are different way to experience, or move through, time.

There is "clock time," which is the inflexible, regular measurement that our watches keep track of. It makes sure our buses arrive "on time,"that we don't miss our favorite TV show and that economies stay afloat.

There's "nature time," which features recurring, cyclical periods (i.e. sun rising daily, tides going in and out, earth rotating around the sun, growing season, mating season, migration season, etc.).

And then there's "event time," which is what you experience when you're engaged in an activity.

When you're in "event time" mode, you are focused on the task at hand and continue with it until it is completed ... or maybe until you're too tired to continue. Here you measure time with two words -- start and finish. This is the case when you're most likely to "lose track of time" or realize that hours have passed whenit felt like only a matter of minutes.

When you're not so engaged -- when you're working according to a "clock time" schedule -- that's when time can slow and drag.

Consider why some jobs are salary (you're compensated for completing a job) and some are hourly (you're paid to show up for a specific amount of time).

Answer 3

Time is a manmade concept; it is what we make it. I've noticed lately that time will feel like it's slowing down when I'm doing something I enjoy (much the opposite of the saying 'Time flies when you're having fun.'), almost as if I'm on a natural sort of high. I suppose it's different for everyone, but time is not a constant as we think it is.

Answer 4

When you are having fun, time goes by fast cuz ur not thinking about time or anything except for what ur doing cuz it's fun. When you are having a bad day or time it seems to go by slow cuz all you want is for that time to pass. Therefor you seem to be always paying attention to time, so it goes by slow. Just like that sain, "A watched clock will never tick".

Answer 5

When our brain is engaged in activities we enjoy doing time flies by uninhibited, however when we are in class for example time drags by due to the lack of interesting material, or simple boredom. Overall though whenever you look at the month, or year collectively it has gone by very fast, and seems to be getting faster at an exponential rate.

This is why I started smoking cannibus, it actually slows down time for your amusement.

Answer 6

Activity.... If you keep active, time will pass fast, if not, time will pass slow...

It is just a illusion of your mind... When you have too many things on your mind, you feel like time is not being enough and is passing faster...

And the opposite when you are not doing anything or much.... You think time is passing slower just because you don't have anything to waste it on...

Hope that helps...

Answer 7

Activity that you enjoy goes fast and lack of joy is life in snail mode.

Become active and you may not have enough time!

Sit like a slug and feed the brain with hours of electronic infiltration and life barely moves.

But manage your time and life's balance and you can accomplish them all.

Consider this, what do you want to accomplish in life?

No one is stopping you. Go for it!

Answer 8

i think it has something to do with your attention. If you exclusively put your attention to one thing(time) as you have nothing else to focus your attention with, then it would feel like time passing by so slow.
Try synchronizely doing different things with your divided attention towards all those task, including time, and you'll find out that time has gone by so quickly.
I can't remember the exact term for this in Psychology, but it is pertaining to attention for sure.

Answer 9

hmm.. interesting

Albert Einstein once said "When a man taks to a beautiful girl, time seems to pass very fast." He made this statement giving an analogy to his theory of relativity in a joking mood.
Basically he was giving a very gross analogy of how to comprehend the relativeness of time.

Well, what he was really referring to was that when one is occupied in something interesting time seems to pass very fast. Or if one is busy, or involved in some activity very intensely then the time seems to pass very fast.

At the same time if one is idle, simply not busy or not doing anything interesting then his or her time seems to pass very slowly.

Well time is a perception.
When we are busy, occupied or doing something very interesting - time flies !!

When we are not doing anything much time seems to pass slowly.

Answer 10

the reason why you think time is slow is because what ever emotions you are having(sad,angry,bored,embarassed) that you don't want or have any intrest in, you find a way to escape;time. but time is slow. when you are have a good time; you want more, until it's over and you think it's too fast. so you desire more.