Blog » How is it 2018 Already? How to Slow Down When Time Feels like it’s Flying by

How is it 2018 Already? How to Slow Down When Time Feels like it’s Flying by

January 24, 2018

Every month, Council for Relationships highlights one of our staff therapists on the blog. January’s Featured Therapist Laurel Roe, MS CHR, MFT, has a background in education and particularly enjoys working with families with members who have special needs, parenting issues, childhood developmental concerns, and anxiety in children, teens, and adults. Read more blogs written by Laurel here.

 

We all experience it: the sense that time is going by too quickly.

This can leave us feeling anxious, sad, or even scared. While this phenomenon is not new (ask your parents), I often hear it from friends and clients alike. With constantly-evolving technologies driving our fast-paced world, we have immediate access to information about the global community. People are connected in ways unlike any other time in history.

As a result, we adapt our expectations and pacing in an attempt to “keep up”: striving to see more, connect more, do more. However, there are still only 24 hours in a day, the same amount of time there has always been. You can live in the modern world and feel more in control of the passage of time by following a few strategies.

 

  • Prioritize

Not everything that demands your attention deserves it. Your time and energy are valuable resources, so spend them wisely. Identify the activities, tasks, and people that are important to you and dedicate most of your resources to what matters most.

 

  • Set Realistic Expectations

If you find your daily to-do list is incomplete at the end of most days, you may be trying to do too much. Ask yourself some questions: How many things can I realistically do in the course of a day? Is it necessary to complete these things today? What are my standards of completion — do things need to be done perfectly? Knowing the answers to these questions will allow you to align your expectations with your priorities.

 

  • Stay Connected

Deliberately focus your attention on what you are doing from moment to moment. Notice how you feel physically as you participate in the tasks of daily life. Pay particular attention to your surroundings and the people around you.

 

  • Pencil in Time for Yourself

Engage in the activities you enjoy daily. Put them on the calendar just as you would a doctor’s appointment or a work deadline. If you “don’t have time” for the things that nurture you, ask yourself why you believe you are unable to make yourself a priority.

 

  • Be Intentional

What are you hoping for as you move from task to task, activity to activity? Keep this reason as your focus while you engage and you will feel a greater sense of control and purpose as you go throughout your day.

 

While we cannot add additional hours to the clock, we can go through our days in a more deliberate and present way. This may help you feel that you have the superpower to slow down time.

 

Every month, Council for Relationships highlights one of our staff therapists on the blog. January’s Featured Therapist Laurel Roe, MS CHR, MFT, has a background in education and particularly enjoys working with families with members who have special needs, parenting issues, childhood developmental concerns, and anxiety in children, teens, and adults. Read more blogs written by Laurel here.

Laurel is currently accepting new clients! Request an appointment today.