It may be hard to believe, but August 7 will only be the official mid-day of summer! And if your family is anything like mine, you may be feeling like time has flown by so quickly, especially when kids are preparing to return to school. 

As a child, it felt like summers dragged on and on, with daylight hours spent at the beach, the neighbors pool, or playing kickball in the yard. Dinner was hot dogs on a charcoal grill, and the garden hose kept us hydrated. We spent nights catching lightning bugs or playing hide-and-seek with the gang of neighborhood kids. Summer seemed to last forever. In fact, it was a big adjustment for us nearly feral kids to return to the rigid routines of boring old school days.

Even though we still have the same number of hours in each day, research has shown that since our early years are full of first-time experiences, time can feel as though it passes slowly. However, as we age, we do many of the same things every day, each week can feel like a cut and paste of the previous one. Research has shown that our brains group together those similar days and weeks, giving us the impression that time passes quickly. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. There are some simple things we can do to slow time down.

Many parents I know tend to view our ability to multi-task as a super-power. At times it seems like a necessary parenting skill. But our brains can only fully focus on one thing at a time, so jumping from task-to-task can make us feel frazzled. By slowing down and limiting distractions, we may actually be more productive. This approach may also reduce our stress and anxiety, which can adversely affect our perception of time.

Speaking of perspective, another way to change how quickly time passes is to try to focus on what’s happening right now. For example, recently, instead of moving through mealtime in order to get to the next thing on the list, we lingered over dinner. That turned out to be a gift, as we spent time sharing stories and laughing. And you know what? The to-do list was still there when the conversations were over. But time spent together was worth every minute.

Summertime gives us more hours of daylight and less routines. As such, it can be a great time to try something new. Picking up a new hobby or learning something new is a great way to break up your routine, thus slowing down the clock. Case in point: as a confirmed klutz, I spent an inordinate amount of time awkward and stiff, trying not to fall when I tried a stand-up paddleboard. But eventually, I became more comfortable, cared less about falling in, and I more thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I appreciated the new perspective, which was very different from sitting on the shore or even paddling in a kayak along the same water. If I hadn’t tried something new, I would have certainly missed out.

It's true that this summer, like all our previous ones before it, will eventually end. But by focusing on where we are right now, we may change how we pass the time in all our days and weeks and months. While it’s true we can’t stop time, we can do our best to slow it down, savoring the good bits and finding new ways to enjoy them with the ones we love. Because time will pass, whether we’re having fun or not.