How to Slow Down Time, Feel Better, and Get More Creative
Do you catch yourself saying, "Time just flies by!" Or "Weren't the kids just in kindergarten—now they're graduating?? Mind-blowing!"
Here's the thing: You're not imagining it. Time really does seem to speed up as we get older. But what if I told you there's actually a proven way to slow down your days and weeks so you can savor the moments of your life instead of just watching them blur past?
Most of us are living on autopilot—same coffee shop, same route to work, same Netflix routine. And our brains? They're basically hitting the "compress file" button on all those repeated experiences. That's why entire months can feel like they vanished overnight.
The secret is ridiculously simple (and backed by neuroscience): Novel experiences. New places. New activities. New creative adventures. Your brain lights up like Times Square when you give it something fresh to process.
Now, it does take some planning—some start-up energy to break out of your default behaviors and autopilot habits. But here's the payoff: Once you take that first step, you'll feel the benefits almost immediately. Time starts to feel different. Richer. More expansive.
I'm going to give you the science, share when this worked for me, and then hand you a simple framework to try it yourself. Let's gooooo!
Are those seconds ticking by too fast?
Here’s why, and how to take it one at a time.
The Science: Why Time Feels Like It's Speeding Up
Here's what's happening in your brain: When you repeat the same activities over and over—your morning routine, evening errands, the crockpot dinner—your brain creates efficient neural pathways. Think of your drive to work: Somehow you just arrive and have zero memory of the 30-minute commute! Your brain says, "Oh, I know this route!" and basically auto-files the experience without paying much attention.
This process is called habituation. Your brain literally reduces its response to familiar, repetitive stimuli so it can ignore unimportant information and focus on what's new and relevant. It's like your brain's way of saying, "Been there, done that—moving on."
But here's where it gets interesting: When you encounter something truly NEW—a place you've never been, an activity you've never tried—your hippocampus (your brain's memory center) kicks into high gear and releases dopamine. Yes, that feel-good neurotransmitter. Dopamine does two crucial things: First, it acts as a reward system, basically giving your brain a little celebration for seeking out novel experiences. And second, it activates something called long-term potentiation, which is just a sciency way of saying it helps you form strong, lasting memories of that new experience.
So that day you spent in NYC when you were 12—or that summer I spent exploring New England—our brains were lighting up like crazy, encoding rich sensory details, creating new neural connections, and storing everything with emotional markers. That ONE experience takes up way more mental real estate than weeks of routine.
This is also why childhood - especially those long stretches of summer - seems to have lasted FOREVER when we think back on it. Kids are constantly encountering new things—every bike ride, every skill learned, every place visited is novel. Their brains are encoding like crazy. But as adults with established routines? We're encoding way less. Entire months compress into forgettable blurs because we're not creating distinct, memorable experiences.
The result? Time feels like it's vanishing because you're not giving your brain anything new to hold onto. (If you want to dive deeper into the neuroscience of novelty, this article breaks down the research beautifully.)
My Longest Summer - and Why
The summer after my senior year in college, I was finishing my final occupational therapy internship in Providence, Rhode Island. Honestly? I didn't want to go. I'd looked high and low for a local internship, but there were none available. So there I was—forced into this three-month adventure in a brand new place, away from everything familiar.
But here's what happened: That summer became one of the most vivid, time-expanding experiences of my life.
I clicked with one other intern, and we went on SO many adventures throughout New England. One day, we took the ferry to Block Island and rented bicycles. We rode all over the island and eventually got completely lost (remember, this was before GPS!). We came across this beautiful cliffside with what felt like a million stairs leading down to the beach. We climbed all over those rocks, feeling pretty tough after our long bike ride and unexpected hike.
But here's the thing—I can tell you about EVERY adventure from that summer. The Portuguese festival with its incredible smells and music. The WaterFire celebration in Providence, with fire sculptures floating on the river. The quirky elderly ladies we stayed with. The time we took the T to Boston, missed the last train home, and had to figure out a way back. Our spontaneous drive to Maine when we stumbled upon the most bizarre old motel—we laughed for weeks about all its oddities and stories.
I was in a brand new place. With brand new people. Doing brand new things. For three months straight. And I will never forget it. Man, I'm tearing up with nostalgia just writing this! At the time, I just thought - this is what life is like. But if you asked me to tell you about the summer of….2013? When I had two preschoolers and a demanding job? I'd honestly have to reference photos before I could tell a single story.
Back to Rhode Island, and how to find it again: Remember, I did NOT want to deal with the start-up energy cost of finding that internship, securing a place to live, meeting all new people, and figuring it all out. But I could write an entire book about those three months. So, that's a key part of this lesson. The effort of putting yourself in new situations is WORTH it.
That summer proved the science: novel experiences stretch time. When I look back at it, those memories are rich, detailed, and LONG. But if you asked me what I did three Tuesdays ago during my regular routine? I'd have to check my calendar. That's the difference. And listen, habit and routine is not bad at all. It's necessary for safety and comfort, caring for other humans, keeping ourselves fed and healthy. But it's not all life is.
Close your eyes and think back…
What did it feel like to try things for the first time, go exploring as a kid?
The Artist's Advantage: Why Novel Experiences Are ESSENTIAL for Creativity and Well-being
Here's where this gets really juicy: Novel experiences don't just stretch your perception of time—they improve your sense of well-being, AND directly fuel your creative practice.
When you expose yourself to new experiences, you're:
Building a richer reference library. Every new place, person, texture, color combination, architectural detail, or unexpected moment becomes material you can draw from. You can't create from an empty (or boring) well.
Creating new neural pathways. Your brain literally grows new connections when you encounter novel stimuli. This enhanced connectivity helps you make unexpected creative connections in your work.
Breaking creative ruts. When you're stuck in the same physical and mental loops, your art gets stuck too. New experiences shake up your patterns and give you fresh perspectives.
Recharging your creative battery. There's a reason artists throughout history have taken sabbaticals, traveled, or sought out new experiences. It's not indulgent—it's essential maintenance.
One of my hacks for this is traveling to botanical gardens. If it's a new one, even better. And even Longwood Gardens, which I've been to many times, changes seasonally, and even week-to-week as the plantings grow and bloom with the weather conditions. Every time I'm mesmerized by new smells, shapes, colors and combinations. I could sit and draw for hours after a visit there, or even find a bench and sketch on site. The next time I'm in the ceramics studio, I can't help but be influenced by what fills up my brain. This year I'm more motivated than ever to fill it up to the brim with beautiful and inspiring stuff.
How to Slow Down Time: Your Novelty Action Plan
Okay, so how do you actually DO this without booking expensive vacations or overhauling your entire life? Here's the framework:
1. Define "Novel" for YOUR Life
Novel doesn't mean expensive or exotic. It means NEW TO YOU. This could be:
Taking a different route on your daily walk
Trying a new art medium (clay to acrylics, anyone?)
Visiting a museum you've never been to
Cooking a recipe from a culture you're unfamiliar with
Taking a class in something you've always been curious about
Exploring a neighborhood in your own city you've never visited
Trying a new look, with clothing or hairstyle
For me, I'm committing to a new walk every Sunday. Go anywhere, doesn't have to be far, but just not the same walk as the week before. I can't wait to explore my area more!
2. Schedule Novel Experiences Like Appointments
Don't wait for inspiration or free time (it won't come). Put it on the calendar:
Weekly: 30 minutes to an hour (try a new walking route, sketch at a coffee shop you've never visited, visit a different grocery store)
Monthly: 2-3 hours (visit a gallery, take a workshop, explore a new town)
Quarterly: One bigger experience (weekend trip, intensive workshop, creative retreat)
The key is making novelty a regular part of your routine, not something that only happens on vacation.
3. Engage All Your Senses
The more senses you activate, the richer the memory encoding. When you're in a novel experience:
Notice textures, temperatures, sounds
Taste something new
Take photos (but don't just experience it through your phone!)
Sketch or journal afterward
Talk about it with someone
4. Create a "First Times" List
Start a running list of things you've never done but are curious about. Keep it visible. When you have a free Saturday or feel stuck creatively, pick something from the list.
In Laura Vanderkam's productivity book Tranquility by Tuesday, she suggests one big adventure and one little adventure per week. The little one might be trying a different restaurant in a neighboring town instead of your usual spot. Or hiking in a new spot. The big one doesn't have to be drastic—maybe visiting a museum in the city with a friend, or signing up for a trail ride at a nearby horse farm.
It's actually wild what you can find with just a little research. This year for our birthdays, my friend and I went to a local farm and signed up for a session where you get to hang out with miniature Highland cows! I definitely won't forget how much they LOVED being brushed—or the stinky Billy goat nearby! Way more memorable than another dinner out.
So, are you up for it?
Time to Expand Your Time
Here's your takeaway: Time doesn't have to speed up as you get older. You can stretch your days and weeks by intentionally seeking novel experiences—and as an artist, this isn't optional. It's how you fill your creative well and keep your work (and your life) vibrant.
I'll never be that carefree 21-year-old in Providence again, exploring New England with nothing but time and curiosity. But I CAN channel that energy. I CAN use the science of novel experiences to enrich my life NOW, today. Yeah, I didn't want to deal with the start-up energy cost back then—but I could write a book about that summer, and I can't say the same for every three-month stretch of working years that followed.
Join me this year in adding even monthly adventures to your schedule. Shift your mindset slightly from obligation and routine toward curious and adventurous. Start small. Pick one novel experience for this week.
Your brain (and the art you make with it) will thank you.
Take Action Now
Quick Win: Right now, pull out your calendar and schedule ONE novel experience for this week. Just 30 minutes. Different coffee shop. New walking route. Sketching in a park you've never visited. Do it!
Solid Solution: Drop a comment below and tell me: What's ONE novel experience you're committing to this month? Let's inspire each other! I'll be checking in and sharing my own adventures along the way.
Treat Yourself: Want help designing a creative practice that consistently fills your well? I'm opening limited spots for one-on-one artist coaching. We'll create your custom roadmap for sustainable creativity and time that feels expansive instead of compressed. Email me at heidisenseart@gmail.com to learn more!
With Enthusiasm for Life + Art,