Time flies so fast. If you blink, you might miss it. These idioms about time and life are popular for a reason: they ring true.
Good times seem to fly by quickly, while tedious work takes forever. But there’s another, deeper meaning of the phrase time flies so fast.
What Does “Time Flies” Mean?
The standard idiom time flies, or time flies so fast, often refers to good times. Time flies when you’re having fun!
It means that our perception of time makes it go by quickly when we’re doing things we enjoy, but it seems to slow down when we are bored or stuck doing things we dislike.
However, the idiom can also refer to life in general. You might be in your early twenties today, but one day you’ll wake up and see a thirty-year-old staring back at you in the mirror. The next day, you’ll be forty. The years fly by, and in brief moments of realization, we pause to wonder where the time went.
How did a decade pass without us realizing it? It seemed to be gone in an instant. The fleeting nature of time forces us to reflect on our lives and find ways to make the most of the precious little time we have.
The “Science” on Why Time Seems to Fly
It’s not just you. Scientific theories abound explaining why our perception of time may be skewed depending on what we are doing.
Fields from physics to neuroscience explore our perception of the passage of time.
Albert Einstein
It starts with Einstein. In 1905, world renowned scientist Albert Einstein turned the scientific world upside down with his theory of relativity. Though the complete theory is complicated physics, the critical point for this piece is that time itself is relative, meaning that people may experience time differently.
Time is relative and subjective. An observer will perceive time passing differently from an active participant in a system. As we move, the passage of time changes. Time slows down the faster we move and even stops as we approach the speed of light.
Though Einstein’s theories are based on physics, they provided the first hint in the scientific community as to why time might seem to fly when we have good times.
Neuroscience
Recent research into brain science identified a neurological reason why time flies so quickly when we’re having a good time. A 2016 study found that as our brains produce more dopamine, our internal clocks may slow down. This phenomenon creates the sense that time is moving faster.
The scientific community is also researching why time seems to move faster as we get older. Do you remember how summer seemed to last forever when you were a child, but as an adult, it’s gone before you even have a chance to enjoy it?
There may be a neurological reason for it. Professor Adrian Bejan hypothesized that we can’t process visual information as quickly as we age. If this signal processing takes more time, it seems time is moving faster.
These three theories highlight a small sample of the research on why time seems to fly so fast, both when we’re having fun and as we get older.
How to Savor Every Moment
Regardless of the science, we’ve all probably had experiences where time flies so fast. We know it happens because we experience it.
One way to stop time from flying by is to make a point of savoring every moment. Here are some tips to help you slow down and enjoy your most precious commodity.
Be Present in Every Moment
The best way to stop time from flying past you is to be present in every moment. Stop scrolling through your phone and pay attention to the world around you. Stop thinking about everything that’s going to happen, and focus on what is currently happening.
Being present in every moment allows you to experience every moment while it’s happening. It may still go by quickly, but at least you won’t miss it.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the art of consciously being aware of every moment. When you practice mindfulness, you shift the way you think to make the present the most essential part of your life.
While being present is the physical act of embracing every moment, mindfulness can be considered the mental counterpart. It’s about making an effort in your head to be conscious of everything happening around you and to celebrate your awareness of the physical world at a specific moment in time.
Meditate
Mindfulness doesn’t come naturally for everyone. It’s a skill that can take time and effort to develop.
The grounding process of meditation empowers you to embrace mindfulness. It helps you let go of anxiety and stress, giving you room to focus on your inner self or the present moment. When you meditate, you open your mind to accepting mindfulness.
Stop and Smell the Flowers
We’re so busy rushing through life that we miss all the wonderful things happening around us. In our hectic lives, we rarely pause to enjoy the bountiful world surrounding us.
To savor more of each moment, you must stop the frantic rush to get stuff done. Pause to smell the flowers along the way. Marvel in the gracious beauty of the dragonflies buzzing around you, and watch the ants march in perfect symmetry.
The world abounds with wonder and stimulation for your senses. Take a few seconds to enjoy it, and time won’t seem to fly so quickly.
Pause and Breathe
Deep breathing keeps you grounded. If you find yourself in a situation where time seems to hurtle past you at epic speeds, take a second to stop and breathe.
Those deep breaths will slow things down and give you the time you need to reflect upon the moment. And the beauty is, it only takes a moment. Even 30 seconds of deep breathing can help you relax and refocus. Everyone has 30 seconds.
Enjoy Every Day
We can’t stop the flow of time. The real trick is not letting our lives pass us by. To savor every moment, you need to enjoy every day. Live life to the fullest, and you won’t regret wasted time.
Time Flies So Fast Quotes
We’ve been talking about how fast time flies for millennia. The earliest instance comes from the Roman poet Virgil, who said:
“Time Flies Never to be Recalled”
Here are my top five favorite quotes on time’s swift passage:
“Time Flies. It’s up to you to be the navigator” – Robert Orben
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”- Earl Nightingale
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller
“Time moves slowly but passes quickly.” – Alice Walker, from The Color Purple
“Time and tide wait for no man.” – Geoffrey Chaucer Prologue to the Clerk’s Tale
Time Flies, but You Don’t Have to Miss it
Time may fly, especially when you’re having fun, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss enjoyable moments. Make the best of the time you have, savor every moment, and you’ll have a full, happy life.
Correct Usage of “Time Flies” and “Time Flies So Fast”
While we’re talking about time flies, we have to address the grammar! I’ve seen a lot of variations, and most aren’t right.
Is it “time fly’s” or “time flies”?
Because we’re using the word “fly” as a verb, the correct usage is “time flies” because it’s the present tense form of the verb “to fly.” The word “fly’s” is a possessive form of the noun fly, the annoying insect that buzzes around your head.
We say “time flies” rather than “time fly” because the word “time” is singular. We’d use the word “fly” if a group of things were flying, as in “they fly.”
Why is it “time flies so fast”?
Time flies so fast is grammatically correct as it is. We could also say “time flies quickly”. In both sentences, time is the subject, and flies is the verb. “So fast” and “quickly” are modifiers. Since they aren’t really needed for a complete sentence, the phrase “time flies” is fine on its own.