15 Surprisingly Effective Ways to Make Time Go Faster

Sometimes, you just want to make time go faster.

Perhaps you’re doing a boring task at work. Or you want to kill downtime at home. How can you make these hours fly by?

First, you need to understand why time feels slow:

• The task is too difficult.
• The task lacks challenge.
• You feel disengaged from your task.
• You experience boredom or discomfort.
• Or you simply focus too much on time.

The following 15 tips will combat the points above. That way, you can speed up hours and even days. 

So let’s dive in!

#1: Create a mental challenge

Repetitive tasks often lose their challenging aspects. It’s one of the most common reasons people feel bored at work.

So what can you do about it?

My favorite method is to create a mental challenge. And you can create one for any task.

How?

Make it a little game.

Set a goal for yourself that focuses on doing the task faster or better than you did before. 

I used this simple tactic to make time pass faster in all my administrative jobs. While the tasks were repetitive and mundane, I still found joy in the challenges I created for myself.

Hours flew by.

For example, I processed ambulance claims at an insurance company for a time. And every day, I would try to finish the entire batch of claims faster than the day before – without allowing errors (I would check my work).

Not only will such a mental challenge improve your focus and speed up time, but it also builds a reputation for a good work ethic. 

You win from different angles.

#2: Make a to-do list

Creating a to-do list is a fantastic way to empty your mind and become more creative and focused. Also, knowing everything you have to do often motivates action.

As a result, it feels like time is moving faster.

Most people have too many things to do. But what if you have trouble filling up your to-do list? Besides the usual chores, there are many things you could do.

Here’s a list of topics for inspiration:

• Work-related tasks.
• Chores in and around the house.
• Administration or duties you’ve been putting off.
• What ideas do you have that you would like to try out?
• Which interests, sports, or hobbies could you explore?
• What skills would you like to develop?
• Or browse Udemy for interesting topics.

When you want to make time go faster, the goal of your to-do list is to have plenty of things to do at any moment. That will keep you busy, and it feels good to complete some tasks too.

#3: Do the ugly thing first

Procrastinating on big tasks you know you must do causes time to slow down. Because subconsciously, you keep thinking about it.

And trying to trick your mind by being busy won’t help.

The solution?

Brian Tracy talks about that in his book: Eat That Frog.

His idea is simple: identify your most impactful task the night before (often the most challenging). Then, work on that task straight away in the morning.

Do not allow procrastination.

Use your willpower to get straight to work.

The benefit is that you’ve already done something meaningful for the day by lunchtime. You will feel accomplished. 

And, you can continue the rest of the day with the peace of mind that you’ve already done your most hairy task.

#4: Take breaks

Your brain is like a muscle that gets tired. When that happens, you lose focus and feel less engaged.

Taking more breaks is a simple solution for two reasons:

1. Taking breaks renews your energy and focus, which reduces sluggishness. And according to this study, workers who take frequent breaks experience better well-being and performance. Play a game of minesweeper or take a walk. Whatever it is, take your mind of the work at hand to recharge.
2. The rule of reciprocity. When you have breaks, you feel more satisfied and motivated to work harder in your working time. 

Both reasons increase your engagement with the task at hand. And guess what happens when you feel engaged?

It makes time go faster – significantly.

Here’s a simple yet effective time management technique to take breaks called the Pomodoro Technique. You work in blocks of 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. And after 4 blocks, you take a longer break of 20-30 minutes.

It’s an excellent way to make the day fly by. And it increases your productivity throughout the day. 

#5: Remove the time

An easy way to slow time is to keep looking at the clock. And you want to do the exact opposite if you want to speed time up.

How?

Simply by removing the clocks from your environment. That includes both physical and digital watches.

If you do your work on a computer, here’s how you can remove the clock on Windows:

1. Right-click on the clock in the bottom right corner.
2. Go to “taskbar settings”.
3. Click on the line “Turn system icons on or off”.
4. Switch the clock option to “off”. 

Mac users can take the following steps:

1. First, click on the Apple logo in the menu bar.
2. Then, navigate to “system preferences”.
3. Finally, go to “Date & Time”, then to “Clock”, and uncheck the option “Show date and time in menu bar”. 

If you don’t see “show date and time in the menu bar”, you cannot remove the clock on the Mac. However, here’s how you can minimize it: 

1. Go back to: “system preferences”.
2. Then, navigate to “Dock & Menu Bar”.
3. Scroll down to “Clock” and turn it to “analogue”.

Alternatively, you can cover the clock on your screen with a piece of tape. Either way, finding ways to remove it out of sight is often a helpful way to speed up time.

#6: Listen to music or a podcast

Music and podcasts are excellent ways to speed up time by making tedious tasks more enjoyable.

Music is also a great option to improve your focus or creativity. For example, I listen to the following:

• Lo-fi hip-hop;
• Deep house;
• Ambient music; 
• Or classical music.

This kind of music inspires me while writing an article, for example. 

Experiment with different types of music to find out what works well for you. And try out genres you wouldn’t listen to normally.

Experiment with podcasts when you’re bored or doing a task on autopilot. Here are some of the most popular podcast genres today:

Experiment with music or podcasts to make time go faster.

#7: Use Strategic Planning

Planning is valuable for many reasons. And you can plan strategically to make time go faster.

Here’s a simple method:

1. Identify all the tasks that you need to do.
2. Label each of the tasks by pleasantness from 1 to 5, five being the most enjoyable.
3. Plan your time and mix pleasantly with non-pleasant tasks.
4. Additionally, schedule your breaks strategically. 
5. Finally, using rewards strategically is also a great way to motivate yourself to focus and complete tasks.

We already mentioned doing the most daunting task first thing in the morning. And that’s a great way to start your day.

I also start the day with all my challenging tasks first, and more simple and pleasurable tasks later. And between the challenging tasks, I reward myself. 

Will that work for you?

Once again, you should experiment with your planning.

Some people are motivated to do something unpleasant after a break. Other people need a pleasant task first.

Try different things.

See what works for you and stick to that.

#8: Find purpose in what you do

When you feel like time is dragging, it’s sometimes because you don’t see purpose in your actions.

That could mean a life’s purpose – a big reason propelling you forward in life. But it could also mean finding a sense of importance in the little stuff you do every day.

For example, the purpose of doing the dishes is to have clean ones to use and reduce clutter in your house. It makes you feel good too.

But you know another purpose of doing such chores?

And perhaps the most important of all?

Following up on the tasks that you know you should do, develops trust and reliability in oneself. It makes you responsible, which is an essential quality to living a good life.

You can always find purpose – even in tiny tasks.

When you see the purpose in what you’re doing, it will feel less like a chore. And time will move faster.

#9: Do something creative

Doing creative things is a fantastic way to make time go faster.

If you’re bored, you can try a creative activity, like:

• Painting
• Drawing
• Photo- or videographing
• Drawing 
• Designing
• Writing
• Cooking or baking
• Creating digital art
• And much more

But how can you use creativity to make time go faster at work?

Well, you can try to find ways to do things better. Engage your mind. What process could be improved? What can be eliminated or automated?

How can you improve the tasks at work (or at home)?

You learn to access your creative mind when thinking about different solutions. It’s also fun, makes time go faster, and enables innovation.

Plus, if you come up with a creative solution at work, you may be very well rewarded for it.

Either way, you can never go wrong by sprinkling a little bit of creative thinking in your life. 

And if you want some help with that, check out the best books about creativity.

#10: Experiment more

You can make time go faster by making things more interesting.

For example, if you’re bored with your work, look for ways to make your work more interesting. The obvious ways to do so are with the tips from this article. 

But you can also think outside the box.

If there are no opportunities, create them:

• Can you take on a role in an additional project?
• How can you add value to someone in your team?
• What task or project could you pick up – proactively?

The idea is simple: add value.

Trying to add more value is a great way to pass the time faster. Plus, you make a good name for yourself in the process.

Here’s another exciting way to think about it:

Find problems that excite or bother you and try to solve them. This one is not just applicable at work but also at home. You might even discover a new side hustle.

Finally, why not experiment more with your free time too? Make life interesting by trying a new hobby, activity or exploring any other interest. 

#11: Learn something new

Learning is always challenging, which is the perfect cure against boredom. But unfortunately, most people stop learning at one of the early stages in their career. 

Did you learn something new this week?

If not, seeking new things to learn is a great way to make time pass faster. Learning stimulates your brain. And as a result, it becomes more active and engaged.

Not sure what you want to learn?

Have a look at Udemy to get some inspiration.

You can learn something just for fun. You can seek ways to advance your career. Or you can learn a new set of skills in pursuit of your dream job.

Either way, never stop learning.

#12: Read a good book

Reading is a fantastic way to stimulate your brain and make time go faster. 

When you read a good book, you can completely forget about the outside world and explore new ideas.

That counts for fiction and non-fiction books.

Both have different benefits. 

Non-fiction is a great way to explore big ideas and find solutions to your problems. Whilst fiction can help you relax and take your mind off things.

If you want to expand your mind with some of the best ideas on the planet, check out my list of book recommendations.

#13: Create a routine

In general, we like routines because they minimize the number of decisions we have to take. It avoids decision fatigue. 

But there’s another reason.

When you follow a routine, time seems to move faster.

Why?

Because you know what’s coming next, you can almost predict the future. And the more habitual a pattern becomes, the less your brain has to think about it.

Instead, you go with the flow.

Here are some examples of routines you could try to implement to make time fly by:

• Daily work routine
• Morning routine
• Evening routine
• Weekend routine
• Creative routine

What routine could benefit you the most right now? Start there.

#14: Raise your curiosity

Albert Einstein once said: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”

And he is right.

Curiosity is a great gift IF you practice it. But how can curiosity make time go faster? 

Simple.

When you start wondering, you become more interested and engaged in activities and conversations. 

In the next boring meeting, try to understand where the speaker is coming from. What do they know that you may not? What is the message they’re trying to send? And what can you learn from this situation?

You can also wonder about activities or processes at work.

For example, why do you follow a specific process? Is there any steps that can be removed or improved?

Wonder more often.

What thoughts or ideas do you have that you can investigate further?

#15: Make a task enjoyable

Time moves slowly when you don’t like what you do. The simple solution to make time go faster? Make the task more enjoyable.

There are different ways to do so.

You can do that by setting small goals (as we talked about in tip #1). And you can reward yourself after you’ve completed the task. 

But I want to challenge you here. 

How can you make what you have to do more enjoyable?

Thinking creatively about solutions to your problem will make time go faster. And, you might just find the way that works best for you.

Alternatively, experiment with the tips in this article. See what works for you. Combine ideas. And double down on what works.

After all, there is no perfect one-size-fits-all approach.

Closing thoughts

Whether you’re bored at work or want something to pass time at home, here are the 15 ways to make time go faster:

1. Create a mental challenge
2. Make a to-do list
3. Do the ugly thing first
4. Take breaks
5. Remove the time
6. Listen to music or a podcast
7. Use Strategic Planning
8. Find purpose in what you do
9. Do something creative
10. Experiment more
11. Learn something new
12. Read a good book
13. Create a routine
14. Raise your curiosity
15. Make a task enjoyable

If you want more tips to improve your life’s quality, sign up for the newsletter below. That way, you get the best tips and strategies for personal growth straight into your inbox!