Simple Steps to Slow Down During the Holiday Season ?

How to Slow Down Time and Enjoy the Holidays

Between wrapping up year-end projects and travel at work, juggling your new to-do lists, and coordinating holiday plans (in addition to all the usual plans & responsibilities), this time of year often feels like a blur.?

Whether celebrating specific holidays or simply navigating the season’s extra hustle, the pace can feel relentless. Days race by, leaving you wondering, “Where did the time go?”

The desire for bedtime, then the frustration that it is time for bed already.

How many years in a row have you felt like the holidays pass too quickly to fully enjoy? I know, right? A balance between frustration and disappointment. This year, I’ve decided no more. I am slowing down time.

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The way we experience time is shaped by how we spend it. Familiar routines, packed schedules, and distractions compress our perception of time. But good news: Intentionally creating meaningful moments can slow it down.

Why Time Feels Fast During the Holidays

Let’s take emotions out of the equation for a minute and look at the science.

1. Routine Compression: Ever noticed how workdays blend together at this time of year? (Wait, it’s Tuesday again this week?!) When activities are repetitive—like shopping, back-to-back calls, or attending similar events—your brain doesn’t log these experiences as distinct memories. This creates the sensation of time flying by.
2. Emotional Overload: The holidays can bring joy, stress, or both. High emotional demands consume mental energy, leaving less room to process and store new experiences. Introverts, we know this way too well. Holidays can 10X this energy drain.
3. Overpacked Schedules: When every moment is accounted for, there’s no room for spontaneity. This can make your days feel productive but forgettable. The goal becomes merely survival.
4. Distraction Overload: Ever multitask through decorating or skim conversations while thinking about your next task? Dividing attention fragments your focus, making moments feel fleeting. Multitasking doesn’t exist beyond terminology. You are simply minimizing all of it.
5. Pressure to Maximize: The desire to make every holiday “perfect” can lead to rushing through experiences rather than relishing them. Ever remember to send out holiday cards on December 23rd? No? Me too.

The key isn’t necessarily doing less—it’s experiencing moments with more awareness. One thing at a time, give each thing the love and attention it deserves.

Tips to Savor the Season

Just like you can’t cook the whole holiday meal at once, you can’t fix your time warp in one action or mantra. Individual steps taken consistently to create momentum.

?? Create New Traditions Step outside the usual routine with activities that feel fresh: try a different recipe, explore a new neighborhood’s lights, or shop a new store (shop local!). Novelty stretches your perception of time.

? Pause for Micro-Moments Carve out short, mindful breaks. Watch the birds outside your window with your coffee, write down one highlight in a journal or a note on your phone, or sit quietly beside your twinkling lights. These pauses anchor memories.

? Simplify Where You Can Identify one area to ease your load—delegate a task, say no to an extra obligation, or swap a time-intensive tradition for a simpler one. Parent tip: Your teenagers can actually do laundry.? #lifeskill

?? Prioritize Connection Over Perfection Focus on quality over quantity. A heartfelt chat or a shared laugh over favorite beverages creates longer-lasting joy than a flawless table setting. My wife contests that favorite beverages are better over a flawless table setting. It amplifies her focus on quality.

??? Reflect and Revisit At the end of each week, jot down your favorite memories. Reflection helps imprint experiences in your mind and makes time feel fuller. Three months from now it is fun to go back and revisit. It always surprises me how great memories can quickly get buried in our busyness post-holidays..?

Your Call to Action

What’s one way you can embrace the season more fully today??

Choose a tip and start small—you don’t need to change everything to feel the difference.

Looking for more ideas? Join the Savor the Season Advent Calendar Series. It’s full of quick, actionable tips to help you truly enjoy this time of year.

Start Savoring the Season →

Reflective Questions

Let’s stop and take a moment to bring this to life:

• Which holiday activity or tradition feels most rushed or stressful for me, and how can I simplify or savor it instead?
• What is one small, meaningful moment I want to create or experience this week, and how can I ensure I prioritize it?

Referenced Resources for Further Reading

1. "Time Going Too Fast? A Psychologist Explains What You Can Do About It" - Science Alert
2. "How Mindfulness Shifts Our Perception of Time" - Mindful
3. "Time Perception in Psychology: Understanding Mental Time Processing" - NeuroLaunch

Slowing down time is not a sci-fi movie or magic trick. It is focusing on what you decide is important to you and having your intent to do so. Simple steps compound. Why not compound joy this season?

Catch you next week!

Joe,

The unstoppable, Active Introvert