Many older people seek ways to slow perceived time because they want to live longer and accomplish more with available time. Experiencing novel activities and learning new skills—such as revisiting childhood hobbies, taking trips to unfamiliar cities, or joining classes—creates varied memories that expand retrospective time perception. Maintaining variety instead of strict routine makes years feel fuller, while routine-only living accelerates the sense of time passing. Being fully engaged and practicing mindfulness stretches moment-to-moment perception and makes experiences seem to last longer. Avoiding multitasking and focusing on the present increases subjective duration and makes time feel more abundant.
Bejan said many older people ask him how they can slow down time, "because everybody wants to live longer [and has] the urge to do more and better things with the time that is available." He said one way to do this is to experience things that are new and out of your usual regimen. This could mean picking up a childhood hobby (like dancing or violin), taking an overnight trip to a city you've never visited or signing up for a cooking class.
Bejan stressed the adage "variety is the spice of life": you should get out of your routine and take advantage of the time you have, which will only help make you feel like your year had more time to fill, he said. Living a routine-only life makes the year fly really fast, he added. Lustig noted that being fully engaged and "in the moment" can make those moments seem to last longer.
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