Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

Magnolia — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:14:03 GMT

I can get a lot more done in a shorter period of time if I am aware of the passage of that time. I have a cell phone with 5 alarm settings. If I have a task to do that must be accomplished in a certain amount of time, I divide it up into 5 equal segments and set my alarms to go off at the end of each of those five intervals. That keeps me focused on the task at hand and I don't bother to look at a clock because the alarm tells me what time it is. Turning each alarm off requires only a quick push of a button. I enjoy the pressure anyway.

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

The Texan — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:44:27 GMT

Read the book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, then pack a tent, sleeping bag, some food, a drawing pad and pencil (no watch, no cell phone) and head to one of our beautiful parks.

Pitch your tent in the primitive area, pull out your paper and pencil ---- and draw. Worship the Creator who was The Artist before you.

This will put you in "the zone" really fast.

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

anoosheh — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:51:32 GMT

"Time and space are modes by which we think and not conditions in which we live" -Einstein

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

Nele — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:33:33 GMT

From my point of view, time is an absolute value on this world, 5min are 5min and that's it! What we can actually change is the perception in our minds about it and how we use the time. I have noticed from experience that the more I put myself in a hurry, the less time I have and this happens mostly because of the fact that the brain knows that I am in a kind of "lack of time" situation and it wastes very precious moments of time to focus on how much time has passed and am I already late. By defocusing from the time and removing the pressure from the brain we can let it function optimally and actually increase the ammount of time that it can spend for useful stuff.To be more specific, if we have 5min by the time we need to go to work and we need to get some thing done, it is clear that we will be on time only by doing the actual job and not looking at the watch every 30 seconds which largely decreases the available time. One could look at it as a CP of a computer that would waste precious time by checking the clock instead of executing the code.

Bottom line, increasing brain efficiency actually means streching time and for me meditation, going to alpha brain waves level and repetition of positive afirmations that transform existing negative habits have helped a lot in achieving that.

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

richmorr — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:39:39 GMT

Athletes are very conscious of time. As a young athlete ages, he/she is very aware that time speeds up. The younger athletes simply react faster. The aging athlete y may be stronger than the young ones, but the aging athlete is slower. Therefore one of the primary problems associated with age is exactly the problem of lack of time in a situation when, as a young athlete, there was plenty of time.

As a new, 67-year-old, tennis player, I am finding the lack-of-time issue a wonderful challenge. Turning my non-athletic, aging body into a tennis champ has been a great way to change my perception of time. I see my body's task as speeding up its internal clock. I is as though I were a computer. Perhaps I am. If my internal clock speeds up, the rest of the world slows down. It seems to be working. At first I couldn't even see those fast balls. Now I hit them back routinely. Dr. Mercola's advice is right on target here. I am sure each of us will find our own ways to go beyond it.

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

Sean Uisce — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:04:26 GMT

Interesting comments and observations appearing here... yet none mention the "alpha brain wave state" wherein one's experience of time is altered.

REM sleep occurs when brain waves enter an alpha rythm. Alpha state can also be experienced during laughter, when engaged in day-dreaming, performing an activity we enjoy, listening to music, in nature... or other activities / experiences involving a whole-brain experience (simultaneous use of both brain hemispheres). It is during this state that our brain does all the emotional and mental rejuvenation it needs (approx 40mins per night's sleep of REM is all it needs apparently).

As alpha brain rhythms affect our perception of time, the most common report from those coming out of them into normal waking 'beta' brain rhythms goes something like "that was 40mins? Gosh it only felt like 10!"

So, if our brain wave state affects our experience of linear time in a 'making it go faster' kind of way, it is also possible that it can affect it conversely enabling us experience time going more slowly...

... and the reports of experiencing all in slow-motion which come from survivors of car crashes and other near-death events would suggest that this is the case.

Meaning of course that our experience of our world - and how time moves in it - really is down to us and no one else.

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

Marie Bulfinch — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:24:07 GMT

As a court reporter I find there are times I slow time down. When people get to talking extremely fast, 280 words a minute and faster, I don't concentrate on every single word, although I hear them. I calm way down and focus on the phrases, sentences and briefs. It's like you are in another dimension. I never could explain it, but that is what is happening.

Marie

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

innerlimits — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:40:37 GMT

I agree with Shiva's comments...There is a wonderful book by Eckhart Tolle called "The Power of Now" I have applied the living in the Now, and find that it really does work not focusing on the past or the future, just right now! Time passes so rapidly when you stress on the future, your health, and the way of the world...We cannot predict or see our own future without focusing on the immediate...The Now! We also seem to lose time as we focus on the past...Things we did or said we cannot change! Meditation and focus on the Now, improves health, lowers my blood pressure, and allows me to feel gratitude for all I have, not what I lost, or don't have! Using these methods and eating right...Improves my overall well-being and makes daily "Whatever life throws at you" easier to deal with and let's me get a good nights sleep! Thanks Dr. Mercola your research and articles are wonderful advice and I wish everyone did these things...Life around us would definitely improve...Hey now there's a start toward world peace!

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

Jo Bee — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:53:11 GMT

I think I'll take some time out!

Ha!

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

Ricky Bobby — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:34:23 GMT

If you want time too last longer just go to work dead tired. especially with a hang over. haha. also you will notice that your half hour breaks are only three minutes long. but seriously, don't focus on time. focus on the moment. just don't procrastinate. if you feel you're wasting time, it will speed up again. besides your regular job, you can go to school, work a part time job, have more than one girl friend, take part in a sport or league, don't stay in bed or watch tv. as you get older, these options will not be possible, you just won't have the energy. so enjoy your time while you can.

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

The Spaceman — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:03:09 GMT

I like the fact that you are a deep thinker and that you believe in gathering all the facts.This subject on time or the perception of it is interesting.You're right about when we rush things,time seems to move fast and we sometimes get foggy and stressed and lose focus.This is food for thought.

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

texastoaster — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:47:20 GMT

NLP does this with a method called time distortion. The basics of it are as follows: you think of a target event or behavior that you want to slow down (or speed up). You go into your memory and find a time that seemed to drag on forever. Figure out where that memory is, how it looks, sounds, and feels. Then you move your target event to the same place in your mind with the same qualities. Presto, you've just taught your mind to slow that experience down.

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

energymaster — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 03:00:37 GMT

I learned some time ago that when I'm running short of time I just have to pause and command time to "slow down" and it does - works every time. It is all perception, and, anyway, so called reality is actually quite fluid and easily affected.
Try it next time you're running a tad late. Also, slowing down enough to be extra mindful will actually save some time as well, as you don't make hurried mistakes.
Try it next time you're running late.
Andy

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

shaneperrone — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:09:17 GMT

Makes me wonder about sleeping cycles and the subconcious, wonder how the clock gets effected to people who constantly sleep weird hours and such, which i already know creates havor for the body.

re: Teach Your Brain to Stretch Time

Dex — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:25:13 GMT

The irony is that "time flies when you're having fun," and crawls when friday afternoon can't get here soon enough. The article mentions time passage when you're in the zone.

The trick is how to extend moments of pure joy, and a key is slowing down to appreciate relationships with your loved ones. Enjoy a hug for a minute longer. Take the time to listen to your children and tell them you love them. When you take the time, you find....

There's time enough for what's most important.