The illusion of time

Why does the distance to a picnic spot seem more than the returning distance? Why does it seem that the second time you go somewhere you get there earlier than the first time ? Our reality is affected much by our perception and brain activity. When our brain is working quickly, time seems to pass quickly e.g. in an examination room or with a good friend or a party. When the brain is working on one or more things at a good rate we lose track of time and it seems to pass quickly. Similarly, if our brain is resting and working on very few things, time seems to pass slowly e.g. in a waiting room of a clinic or train. So ‘perceived’ time becomes a function of the number of things the brain is working on and its processing speed. Smart people hence have more time on their hands than the average person.

The human brain processes 10 image frames per second while a tortoise can process only 0.33 frames per second. The eagle on the other hand can process 25 frames per second. This means that if you pass a car in front of a man, an eagle and a tortoise with a speed that it remains in their vision for 3 seconds then the man would be able to see 3 images, the eagle 8 images and the tortoise 1 image at different instants. So the car would seem to be travelling at three different speeds to three different observers.

My purpose is not to explain the theory of relativity but to explain the fact that time can be managed in a better way when we understand that it is our own brain that ‘produces’ time and hence we can use our brain to create time for ourselves.