We all start each day with the same amount of time.

Some days fly by and others drag on with every passing second. And then you wake up one morning and it’s a new season, the end of a school year or holiday time again. How does that happen so quickly?

We know time is passing because we see changes. The sun rises and sets. You complete work, meetings and commutes. Children grow. Your life is not the same today as it was yesterday.

Is it possible to be more conscious of time passing? To make the seconds, minutes and hours count more?

Yes, with practice.

How do you make it count? 24 hours each day. 9 for work/commute. 8 for sleep. 7 for all the rest.

The precious present

Think about it—have you noticed how much of our lives we spend thinking about the past or worrying about the future? It’s rare, in our busy lives, to pay attention to the present.

Time is passing right now, at this moment, as you read this. By tuning your mind to the experience of time passing through you in the present moment, you cultivate mindfulness. 

Be in the now

Take one minute to be in the present.2

  • Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes.
  • Simply feel this moment. Experience what the present feels like.
  • Notice what you feel.
  • Try not think about what just happened or what is coming up next.
  • If your mind drifts to a memory or a thought about the future, bring it back to the present.

Being truly present may feel strange or uncomfortable the first couple times you try it. It can take a bit of practice before you’re able to really let go and focus on the moment.

Apply it to your day

Mindfulness is about becoming aware and staying tuned to the present moment.3 It’s about noticing. It’s looking at what is happening to you, around you or inside you in the moment.

As you practice focusing on the now, you will become more aware and able to appreciate every moment, effectively slowing down time.

Find my therapist

It’s important to spend time with your community, but it’s also important to make time for yourself. Here are suggestions for making a date with yourself. 

Published December 18, 2024

1https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/fotw-1338-april-15-2024-workers-new-york-state-had-longest-commute-times
2https://library.teladochealth.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034792034-Feeling-Time-Move-Through-You
3https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/choosing-your-meditation-style/202307/mindfulness-for-beginners

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General wellness, Health Talk, Mental Health