Ever feel like time is playing a trick on you? One minute you’re making New Year’s resolutions, and the next, you’re digging out Christmas decorations again. It’s like life has hit the fast-forward button, and the months are whizzing by like the intro to your favorite Netflix show. The only problem? There’s no “skip” button here. Let’s dive into this weird time warp and try to figure out why months now pass by faster than a week of your most intense binge-watching sessions.

The New Normal: Time on Turbo Mode

Remember when a month used to feel like… well, a month? You had four whole weeks to procrastinate, get things done, or, let’s be honest, forget what you were supposed to do in the first place. But nowadays, a month feels more like a weekend—a long weekend, if you’re lucky. Blink, and it’s over. It’s like the universe is trying to get a high score in speedrunning life, while the rest of us are just trying to keep up.

Aging: The Real Culprit?

It’s not just your imagination. As we get older, our brains play a sneaky little trick on us—time seems to speed up. It’s not that the days are any shorter (though who wouldn’t love a 30-hour day?), but our perception changes. When you were a kid, a year felt like an eternity because it was a big chunk of your life. Now, it’s just a blip. Think about it—when you’re 10, a year is 10% of your life. At 30? It’s just 3.3%. No wonder we feel like we’re on a runaway train headed straight for next year’s tax season.

Routine: The Fast Lane to Forgetting

One of the biggest time bandits? Routine. When every day starts to feel the same, your brain stops bothering to remember them. Ever drive home and realize you don’t remember a single thing about the journey? That’s what happens when life gets too predictable. And when every month is filled with the same meetings, the same emails, and the same reruns on TV, your brain just lumps it all together as “boring stuff” and fast-forwards to the next interesting event—if there is one.

Tech: The Double-Edged Sword

Ah, technology—the gift that keeps on taking. Sure, it’s great to have all the world’s knowledge in your pocket, but it’s also a massive time-sucker. You sit down for a quick scroll through Instagram, and before you know it, you’ve wasted an hour of your life watching strangers make avocado toast. And with all that constant stimulation, your brain doesn’t have time to process the passage of time properly. No wonder weeks feel like days and months like minutes when we’re busy checking notifications every 10 seconds.

The Time Warp That is 2020 and Beyond

Let’s not forget the granddaddy of all time warps—2020. The year that somehow managed to feel like it lasted a decade and a day simultaneously. It was like the Twilight Zone but with more Zoom meetings and fewer catchy theme songs. And while the pandemic may have put life on pause for many, it also messed with our sense of time in ways we’re still trying to figure out. Days blended into weeks, weeks into months, and suddenly we were celebrating New Year’s Eve again, wondering where the heck the last year went.

Finding the Pause Button: Strategies for Slowing Down

So, what can we do to stop time from slipping through our fingers like sand at the beach we haven’t visited in years? Here are a few ideas—no guarantees, but at least they’ll make you feel like you’re trying:

1. Break the Routine: Shake things up a little. Try something new—take a different route to work, pick up a new hobby, or finally start that book that’s been gathering dust on your shelf. The more varied your days, the more likely you are to remember them, and the slower time will feel.

2. Be Present: Yeah, yeah, we know, “live in the moment” is easier said than done. But seriously, take a minute to just breathe and appreciate what’s happening right now. Whether it’s a beautiful sunset or just a really good cup of coffee, savor it. Your brain will thank you for the memories later.

3. Unplug Occasionally: Technology is great, but sometimes you need to disconnect to reconnect with time. Spend a day without your phone—yes, really—and see how much longer it feels. You might even remember what it’s like to be bored. Remember boredom? It’s that thing we used to feel before we had smartphones.

4. Reflect on the Past: Instead of letting time blur into one big, indistinct blob, take a moment at the end of each week or month to reflect on what happened. Write it down, if you’re feeling ambitious. You’d be surprised how much more you remember when you actually take the time to think about it.

Want more like this one!

Get Exclusive Content from us right to your inbox!

Conclusion: Embrace the Fast Ride

Time might be zooming by, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it leave you in the dust. By being mindful and making the most of each day, you can slow down the rush—at least a little. And if all else fails, just remember that time flies when you’re having fun—or, in this case, when you’re trying to navigate the whirlwind that is life. So buckle up, enjoy the ride, and try not to think too much about how quickly Christmas is creeping up again.

After all, it’s only a few Netflix shows away.