How to Slow Down Time: Increasing Novelty and Creativity in Your Life

For the last few years, I’ve been quietly fascinated by how time feels like it speeds up as we get older. Not in the cliché way people say it at birthdays—but in a deeper, almost existential way.

I went down a research rabbit hole a while back and found a compelling theory: as we age, our brains process information more slowly, which changes how we experience time.

One hypothesis by Adrian Bejan suggests that when we’re younger, our brains take in more “mental frames per second”—like a high-speed camera capturing thousands of images. Each moment feels dense, detailed, and slow. As we get older, fewer “frames” are processed, so more real time passes between perceptions. The result? Time feels like it’s flying.

Whether or not this theory is perfectly accurate, it raises an important question:
If novelty and perception shape our experience of time, can we intentionally slow time down by increasing creativity and curiosity in our lives?

I think we can.

Creativity, Flow, and the Perception of Time

This idea brought me back to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s work on flow and creativity. Flow is that state where you’re deeply engaged, present, and energized—when time either slows down or disappears entirely.

Interestingly, the people Csikszentmihalyi studied who felt most alive, creative, and fulfilled weren’t necessarily artists or scientists. They were people who cultivated novelty and curiosity in small, everyday ways.

This is something I’ve suggested to clients for years; not as productivity advice, but as a way to increase their sense of flow, present moment awareness, creativity, and what I call “bite-size novelty.”

And, I’d add one more hypothesis: these practices may help counter that heavy feeling that life is speeding past us.

Practical Ways to Add Novelty and Creativity to Your Day

These are simple, bite-sized practices. None require a big life overhaul. Instead, think of them as tiny perceptual shifts that add texture back into your days.

1. Cultivate Curiosity on Purpose

Curiosity isn’t a personality trait—it’s a practice.
Follow the rabbit hole. Ask questions. Let yourself be interested in things that don’t “fit” your identity or productivity goals.

2. Try to Be Surprised by Something Every Day

Look for one moment of surprise—something you read, hear, notice, or learn.
It could be a fact, a lyric, a detail in nature, a thought from a client or friend.

Surprise wakes up the brain.

3. Surprise Someone Else

Ask someone a question you’ve never asked them. Invite them to a show, museum, or walk. Share a thought or idea that feels a little spontaneous.

Connection + novelty = powerful nervous system regulation.

4. Write It Down

Keep a small journal or notes app where you track what sparked your interest. Over time, you’ll see patterns in what energizes you.
This is data about who you are becoming.

5. Follow the Spark

When something catches your attention—follow it.
Read the article. Watch the talk. Take the class. Go to the event. Even briefly.

This is how creativity compounds.

6. Set One Specific Goal Each Day

Not a massive to-do list—just one thing that creates a sense of momentum or excitement. Anticipation itself can stretch our perception of time.

7. Spend Time in Environments That Stimulate Creativity

Movement-based, semi-repetitive activities like walking, driving, or swimming are often deeply generative for the brain.
These are the moments when ideas surface, memories integrate, and new connections form.

Why This Matters for Mental Health

In therapy, we often hear people describe time as either dragging painfully (for example, during depression, trauma, or anxiety) or racing uncontrollably (for example, during burnout, overwork, or dissociation).

Adding novelty and creativity isn’t just a productivity hack, it’s a grounding and meaning-making practice. It can help your nervous system register moments more richly. It can build memory, presence, and a felt sense of being alive in your life.

While it’s impossible to stop time, you can change how you experience it. And sometimes, that’s the most radical intervention of all.